specialist nhs unit
The Sustainable Development Unit “ . . . develops organisations, people, tools, policy, and research
to help the NHS in England fulfil its potential as a leading sustainable and low carbon organisation.”
by 2020. All organisations will need to dem-
onstrate how this is being measured, moni-
Government contribution to carbon
tored, and managed. The impact that any one of the renewable en-
Both target reductions levels are a massive ergy projects will have will be relatively small
objective. The earlier figure could be achiev- in comparison with what could be achieved
able: the second is so far into the future that by reducing carbon emissions in general, and
failure to attain it would not cause problems those from the government estate in particu-
for any politician alive today with an elector- lar. At the end of 2007, central government and
ate still to satisfy at that time. its agencies were accounting for 30 million
A 20% renewable energy goal by 2020 is an tonnes of
important landmark on the timeline. There are
CO
2
each year.
Given the size and scale of its operations,
already programmes in place to assist the re- the NHS in England not unreasonably ac-
duction of carbon emissions at source by pro- counts for the largest single component in that
moting renewable energy generation. total, with about 18 million tonnes to its credit.
The 2020 target is being taken seriously by But only 22% of that total is from energy con-
the government, which has recently been fine- sumption.
tuning the deeply-flawed Renewable Obliga- Travel produces a broadly similar proportion
tions Certificate (ROC) scheme in an attempt at 18%, with the largest part – procurement –
to reverse flagging investment levels in that taking up the remaining 60%. According to fig-
sector. Additional investment in projects to tap ures released by the NHS, its carbon footprint
tidal power and harness more of the sun’s en- has increased by 40% since 1990.
ergy will all make a contribution towards that It follows that any fall in
long term target.
CO
2
emissions by
the NHS will have a disproportionately large
effect on the central government’s carbon foot-
print. To achieve a 10% reduction from 2007
levels by 2015 would therefore see that trend
reversed and absolute levels reduced; a move
welcomed by the health sector as there is
growing evidence that adverse climatic con-
ditions would have an impact on health in the
community, requiring additional state-funded
resources to cope with the problems created.
Sustainable Development Unit
For a view on how the NHS can make a mean-
ingful reduction in its 18 million tonne carbon
mountain, we consulted Dr David Pencheon.
He is Director of the NHS Sustainable Devel-
opment Unit (SDU), the team established
within the NHS in 2008 to develop a carbon
strategy for the Service.
The SDU, in its own words “ . . . develops
organisations, people, tools, policy, and re-
At the end of 2007, central government and its agencies were
search to help the NHS in England fulfil its
accounting for 30 million tonnes of
potential as a leading sustainable and low
CO
2
each year. Given the
carbon organisation.”
size and scale of its operations, the NHS in England not
A clinician by training, and one whose ca-
unreasonably accounts for the largest single component in
reer has spanned hospital work, public health
and R&D, Pencheon is well placed to explain
that total, with about 18 million tonnes to its credit.
the implications of any campaign or strategy
36
The Informed Executive
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