Details on the programs

One of the programs announced by HHS is an expansion of its collaboration with the National Health Service in England documenting overlaps in national procurement standards for supplies in the health sector, especially with respect to carbon emissions disclosures and target setting.

The program will also include the Australian government, Health Services Executive Ireland, and The Norwegian Hospital Procurement Trust. Health systems in other countries, such as the Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport, will also join discussions on the program in the coming months.

HHS also announced it will open a second phase of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity’s Catalytic Program within the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to help providers take advantage of tax credits from the IRA for investing in clean energy and building efficiency. HHS is providing monthly webinar updates on new announcements regarding the IRA, as well as recorded content and case examples that states, associations, and other groups can use to support the adoptions of various IRA programs.

"The catastrophic and chronic risks to health posed by climate change are growing," said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. "We're ramping up our efforts to make sure that the health sector is prepared for the threats that the summer will bring to communities, workers and families while also deepening its own sustainability through the billions of dollars in available tax credits, grants and other supports introduced by the IRA."

In addition, HHS released a guide for healthcare providers to help them understand and document their Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, including indirect emissions associated with the organization's value chain.

These new programs come after CMS announced a voluntary Decarbonization and Resilience Initiative aimed at addressing threats posed by climate change to the U.S. healthcare system. With a proposed start date of January 1, 2026, CMS will assist participating acute care hospitals in monitoring, assessing, and addressing hospital carbon emissions and their effects on health outcomes, costs, and quality.

"Climate Change is rapidly changing the world we live in, widening health inequities and deepening disparities experienced by vulnerable communities across the country," said Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine. "We continue to prioritize work on climate health, accelerating decarbonization of the health care system, advancing environmental justice and introducing preparedness resources to strengthen local responses to climate-related challenges."

"Our health is directly linked to the health of our physical environment. As a healthcare company with an integrated whole-health approach, we acknowledge our responsibility to preserve and improve the health of our members, communities, and our own workforce," said Hakon Mattson, chief sustainability officer at Elevance Health and a member of the National Commission on Climate and Workforce Health. "We are proud to be one of the first organizations to join the Commission and are committed to working collectively to help organizations build more climate resilient workforces."

Advisory Board resources on climate change

To learn more about addressing climate change, Advisory Board offers several resources:

This infographic details how climate change will exacerbate organizational pressures and drive up your bottom-line operating costs.

This research explores what green financing is, how it benefits organizations, and what you should know if you're considering it. In addition, use this cheat sheet to understand different types of renewable power purchase agreements (RPPAs), how they can benefit healthcare organizations, and what you should know if you're considering entering into an RPPA.

Check out our other climate change-related resources:

• How health leaders can address climate change  
• 153: Why health systems should take action on climate change
• How health systems can fight climate change at the grassroots level
• Global lessons on building your organization's climate change roadmap
• How can you make progress on environmental sustainability? By defining the problem and asking the right questions.
• ESG in Health Care Part 1: ESG is nothing new. But it's here to stay.
• The 5 most common pushbacks to ESG (and how to answer them)
• 164: Boston Medical Center's path to sustainability (and how they're funding it)

(Landi, Fierce Healthcare, 4/22; CMS Fact Sheet, accessed 5/2)