Addressing the climate-health nexus at Climate Week NYC & UNGA78

Strengthening health system resilience, sustainability and equity

From the lasting impacts of COVID-19 to the mounting impacts of the environment on population health, health systems around the world are under-resourced and overburdened. Climate-related deaths are growing, with air pollution alone responsible for nearly seven million deaths⁶ per year globally and the number of heat-related deaths projected to triple by 2050⁷ without significant action. Non-communicable diseases – such as heart conditions, cancers, respiratory illnesses – and infectious diseases linked to environmental factors are both rising rapidly, with vulnerable populations such as children, low-income communities, older populations and those with underlying health conditions most affected.

To ensure that health systems are fit to respond to the needs of today and tomorrow, we’re committed to working toward a future where health systems are:

• Resilient and able to adapt and respond to both current needs and future shocks;
• Equitable, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to live their healthiest life; and
• Net zero, improving health outcomes while limiting the environmental impact of care.
  

Collaboration across and beyond the health sector is critical, as are public-private partnerships to drive action at scale.

Mitigating our impact on the environment

At the heart of the healthcare sector is improving health and saving lives, but at the same time, the sector is also a significant contributor to the climate crisis - approximately 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are attributed to the healthcare sector.⁸

At AstraZeneca, we are taking bold climate action, recognising the deep connection between healthy people and a healthy planet. Through our flagship $1 billion Ambition Zero Carbon programme and $400 million commitment to plant and maintain 200 million trees by the end of 2030 through AZ Forest, we are working to halve our absolute emissions by 2030 and achieve science-based net zero by 2045 at the latest.

To do this, we’re maximising our energy efficiency, shifting to renewable energy sources, and investing in nature-based removals to compensate for any residual footprint. We’re making good progress, so far we’ve achieved the following, all from a 2015 baseline:

• Reduced Scope 1&2 GHG emissions by 59.3%
• Reduced water use by 18.7%
• Reduced waste by 18.6%

As part of our green transition, we’re forging innovative new partnerships with renewable energy companies to provide clean heat to sites in the US and UK, which are also contributing to the circular economy.^9,10,11

Throughout Climate Week and UNGA, best practices, learnings and examples from public-private partnerships around the world will show the transition to sustainable, equitable, and resilient health systems can be achieved. The progress made in these forums will be critical steppingstones on the road to the first-ever health day at COP28.