Climate Emergency Declaration
The AHSN NENC has joined other health and care organisations in the North East and North Cumbria by declaring a climate emergency. Along with the region’s NHS and other partners, the AHSN NENC has aligned its sustainability plans with ambitious targets from the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) to become the greenest and healthiest region in England by 2030.
The declaration recognises AHSN NENC’s commitment, and the steps it will take, to reach net zero carbon dioxide emissions within the next seven years. It also outlines the unique role the organisation plays to support innovators to spread and adopt sustainable healthcare solutions across the region.
AHSN NENC Climate Emergency Declaration
Tackling the ecological and climate crisis presents major opportunities to improve quality of life, health, wellbeing, and the economy regionally, nationally and beyond.
By declaring a Climate Emergency, the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC) is committing towards:
- achieving ‘net zero’ carbon emissions associated with our activities by 2030 and promoting the wider application of the ICS 2022 Green Plan
- facilitating a modal shift from fossil fuelled vehicle use to active travel, and ultra-low carbon vehicles (for example, electric vehicles)
- reducing unnecessary travel through planning and the use of information technology
- managing our use of energy, water, and resources as efficiently as possible
- educating our staff to embed sustainability in to every programme we support and deliver by considering their environmental and health sustainability impact
- supporting innovators in the NHS and industry by advising net zero criteria for new innovations and products, with a particular focus on the NHS supply chain.
The AHSN NENC seeks to deliver its ambitions by ensuring that consideration of the environment and climate emergency is integral to its function, decision-making, service delivery and resource allocation; by learning from and working constructively with others; as well as by showing leadership and encouraging wider action.
As part of this, the AHSN NENC will:
- monitor progress on the impact of our actions and seek to achieve continual improvement
- provide training and briefing sessions for employees focussed upon the environment and climate emergency
- communicate progress regularly and publicly to stakeholders, partners and target audiences
- encourage learning and the adoption of proven innovations within, and between, partner organisations
- support positive engagement with partner organisations through collaborative initiatives
- develop and deliver the AHSN NENC Sustainability Strategy
- review and update this plan on an annual basis from the date of implementation.
Dr Nicola Hutchinson, Chief Executive Officer at the AHSN NENC, said:
“Our declaration of a climate emergency highlights a commitment to reduce our carbon footprint, outlining a commitment to embedding sustainability throughout our programmes of work and aligning with the ICS Green Plan to become the greenest and healthiest region in England by 2030.
“As well as reducing our own organisational carbon footprint, we’re pledging to support innovators and encourage partners to put sustainability at the forefront of their priorities. The AHSN NENC plays a unique role within the regional health and care system, bringing together NHS, academia, industry and partners in the region. We want to lead the way by brokering innovative sustainable solutions which can be spread and adopted across the region and lead to reduced health inequalities through the delivery of greener care and services.”