A Synopsis of Health in the Green Economy: How Carbon Reduction May Impact Health in Health Sector Services

The preamble to the World Health Organization\´s (WHO) 1948 constitution states: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Because WHO\´s mission is "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health," in 2010, WHO\´s Department of Public Health and Environment launched a series of reviews of mitigation options in five key economic sectors, including transport, agriculture, housing, household energy and the health sector. Each report in the series considers the likely health co-benefits of mitigation measures in a particular sector. The paper below summarizes key findings and learnings from the health sector paper. Final publication of the overall paper is anticipated in early 2012. The health sector paper focuses on carbon mitigation measures that provide significant carbon reduction benefits as well health benefits in the context of healthcare facilities. In particular, the paper is focused on these health improvements which can and should overlap with longer-range climate change mitigation policies. Policies, strategies, and specific health benefits are discussed herein.