Environmental performance of portuguese healthcare institutions: indicators, targets and interventions
“Indicators and Evidence for an Environmentally Sustainable Health Sector“
Healthcare institutions are essential to the delivery of care to the population, yet they exert significant environmental pressure due to high levels of resource consumption (energy, water and materials) and the emission of pollutants and waste. Despite the targets established by the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, the health sector continues to lack specific indicators that enable the assessment and improvement of its environmental performance. This gap limits institutions’ capacity to monitor progress towards carbon neutrality and environmental sustainability. The central objectives are:
- To develop, validate and apply a set of environmental performance indicators specific to Portuguese healthcare institutions, aligned with the Zero Pollution Action Plan and other European targets.
- To estimate the public health and economic benefits associated with the implementation of environmentally sustainable measures in the health sector.
- To achieve scientific, policy and social impact:
- Scientific, through the review and validation of environmental indicators and the quantitative analysis of the reduction in the burden of disease associated with them;
- Policy, by providing public decision-makers with tools and practical evidence to inform environmental policies in the health sector;
- Social, by promoting sustainable practices that contribute to the protection of the environment and human health, and by supporting the training of early-career researchers.
OBJECTIVES
- To identify and validate environmental performance indicators suitable for Portuguese healthcare institutions, aligned with international frameworks.
- To define measurable targets for each indicator, in accordance with the Zero Pollution Action Plan and the European objectives for 2030.
- To assess public health impacts by estimating the reduction in the burden of disease associated with improved environmental performance.
- To analyse the cost-effectiveness of environmental interventions and identify priority areas for action within healthcare institutions.
- To develop a Composite Environmental Sustainability Index that enables monitoring of the progress of Local Health Units towards carbon neutrality and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- To produce evidence-based recommendations to support public policies and sustainable practices in the health sector in Portugal.
ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY
- Systematic review and selection of indicators: Identify and analyse environmental performance indicators from international sources (OECD, EEA, UNEP, EU) and select those most relevant to the healthcare context in Portugal.
- Expert validation: Conduct a structured validation process with specialists in public health, environmental health, and healthcare management to assess the relevance of the indicators, data quality, and feasibility.
- Definition of targets and estimation of health impact.
- Economic assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis of the proposed environmental interventions to identify priority areas for sustainable investment in healthcare institutions.
- Stakeholder engagement and implementation framework.
CONSORTIUM AND COORDINATION
- Coordinating Entity: NOVA NSPH
- Principal Investigator: Susana Viegas
- ENSP NOVA Team:
- Julian Alejandro Perelman
- Marta Moreira Marques
- Silvia Lopes
- José Chen
FUNDING
- Funding Agency: FCT
- Amount: €50,000
- Grant Agreement Number: 2023.15731.PEX
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.54499/2023.15731.PEX
DURATION AND KEY DATES
- Start Date: 1 January 2025
- Duration: 18 months
EXPECTED RESULTS / IMPACT
- Validated indicators to assess the environmental performance of Portuguese healthcare institutions, aligned with European and international targets.
- National Environmental Sustainability in Health Index, enabling the monitoring of Local Health Units’ progress towards carbon neutrality and the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Measurable targets and national benchmarks for the continuous evaluation of environmental performance and compliance with sustainability policies.
- Estimation of public health gains and reduction in the burden of disease associated with the implementation of sustainable practices in the health sector.
- Cost-effective environmental interventions and practical and policy recommendations to support strategic decision-making within the healthcare system.
