Reducing Health Care’s Climate Impact — Mission Critical or Extra Credit?

This perspective piece criticizes the Joint Commission’s decision to make hospital sustainability standards optional rather than mandatory. The authors argue that health care’s significant contributions to climate change 8.5% of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions demand firm accountability. Pollution from the sector contributes to a public health burden comparable to medical errors, including heart and lung disease, premature birth, and dementia. The article advocates for mandatory emissions reporting and stronger sustainability standards to align health metrics with environmental stewardship. Real-world examples (e.g., VA’s climate plan, Mass General’s energy savings) illustrate feasibility and cost benefits, reinforcing that decarbonization in health care is not “extra credit” but a vital public health imperative.

This perspective piece criticizes the Joint Commission’s decision to make hospital sustainability standards optional rather than mandatory. The authors argue that health care’s significant contributions to climate change 8.5% of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions demand firm accountability. Pollution from the sector contributes to a public health burden comparable to medical errors, including heart and lung disease, premature birth, and dementia. The article advocates for mandatory emissions reporting and stronger sustainability standards to align health metrics with environmental stewardship. Real-world examples (e.g., VA’s climate plan, Mass General’s energy savings) illustrate feasibility and cost benefits, reinforcing that decarbonization in health care is not “extra credit” but a vital public health imperative.