Decarbonising Health Systems: From Policy to Practice

In recent years, decarbonisation has emerged as a strategic priority to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Health systems significantly contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions, while simultaneously facing increasing climate induced demands. A wide range of decarbonisation approaches to reduce their environmental footprint have been proposed considering different levels, from governance to operations to their wider role in terms of advocacy. However, translating ambition into effective and measurable actions remains challenging, as efforts could be fragmented and not integrated into a structured approach. Moreover, decarbonisation strategies design and implementation must not hinder healthcare quality and equity. Current research points to fragmented efforts, knowledge gaps regarding implementation, and limited integration across all levels of health provision.The goal of this Research Topic is to explore how health systems and services can effectively design and implement decarbonisation strategies taking into account governance, service delivery and measurement. While frameworks and sustainability commitments are increasingly available, evidence of their use and effectiveness in practice is still limited. This collection aims to address this gap by bringing together empirical studies, policy analyses, and implementation experiences that examine how decarbonisation strategies can be embedded into routine health systems and services functions. Contributions should advance understanding of practical pathways to reduce emissions across healthcare settings, including the role of governance, incentives, data, and professional engagement. Particular attention is given to approaches that align decarbonisation with broader health system goals, such as quality of care, resilience, and equity. By focusing on actionable evidence and real-world experiences, this Research Topic seeks to support policymakers, managers, and researchers in designing and implementing low-carbon health systems and services that are both sustainable and patient-centred.Suitable themes for manuscripts include, but are not limited to:• Governance for health systems and services decarbonisation• Use of data to inform decarbonisation policy and planning in healthcare• Integration of decarbonisation strategies into service and care delivery• Co-benefits, trade-offs, and unintended consequences between decarbonisation strategies and quality of care and equity• Monitoring, evaluation, and learning related to decarbonisation strategies implementation and impact• Leadership and workforce engagement for environmental sustainability• Case studies of implementation at local, regional, or national levels Topic editors: Ornella Punzo, Chiara Reno, Walter Cristiano Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77887/decarbonising-health-systems-from-policy-to-practice