Emma has been a Registered Dietitian for over 17 years and has experience in adult and paediatric dietetics. She has been the Editor of NHD for seven years, steering the editorial content and supporting the production process. Emma currently works in industry.

Emma Coates, RD

Net zero and the NHS

We haven’t always been kind to our planet, but its health is important now and for future generations.

As we’re about to move into the next quarter of our current century, we’re facing an ever-uncertain future where the health of our planet is concerned.

Since the 1880s, when global average temperature records began, there have been signs that our climate is changing. This has been of increasing concern for many scientists, environmental organisations and policymakers since the 1970s, as more data has been systematically collected and analysed, leading to understanding more about the impact of emissions entering the atmosphere.(1)

Emissions, otherwise known as greenhouse gases (GHGs), include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and chlorofluorocarbons. All contribute to the greenhouse effect on Earth, which is essential for supporting life on the planet. However, increased levels of GHGs entering the atmosphere as a consequence of human activities such as burning fossil fuels (oil and coal), clearing land for agricultural use and industrial processes, have led to a more significant greenhouse effect which is warming the planet beyond its comfort zone.(1) This negatively impacts on glacier and ice sheet stability, sea levels and weather conditions.(2) More severe weather systems alongside rising sea levels and temperatures pose a real threat to the balance and stability of life on Earth.(2)

The way we produce goods and food, how we transport them and ourselves around, how we power our homes and other buildings, and even who we bank with, all contribute to global emissions.(3) It’s a complex issue, but global climate change is happening now, and there is evidence that all of the things mentioned above are already taking place.(2)

So what’s does this have to do with the NHS?

In 2020, the NHS acknowledged that climate change poses a risk not only to planetary health but the health of us all.(4) and committed to finding a route to becoming ‘the world’s first health service to commit to reaching carbon net zero, in response to the profound and growing threat to health posed by climate change.’ (4)

The NHS plans to deliver net zero emissions is ambitious and two targets have been set:

Target 1: For the emissions the NHS controls directly (the NHS Carbon Footprint). To reach net zero by 2040, with an ambition to reach an 80% reduction by 2028 to 2032.

Target 2: For the emissions the NHS can influence (NHS Carbon Footprint Plus). To reach net zero by 2045, with an ambition to reach an 80% reduction by 2036 to 2039.

What does net zero mean exactly?

There are a range of terms that are commonly used when discussing the rate or impact of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and plans to change or reduce these. They have different definitions and applications. Here are a few examples:

Net zero - Net zero means that the total GHG emissions would be equal to or less than the emissions removed from the environment. This can be achieved by a combination of emission reduction and emission removal.(6)

Carbon neutral or offsetting - This refers to balancing carbon emissions by offsetting carbon dioxide (CO₂) outputs with carbon credits or nature based solutions such as tree planting.(7)

Carbon negative - Removing CO₂ from the atmosphere, or sequestering more CO₂ than is emitted. This might include a bioenergy process with carbon capture and storage.(8)

Zero emissions - A process where no carbon dioxide (CO₂) is released at all. Technologies such as solar panels and wind energy are of referred to as ‘zero-emissions’ , however, they have what are known as “embedded emissions” – those created in manufacturing the technology. Wind and solar produce no ongoing emissions after installation, unlike fossil fuel energy.(8)

NHS progress so far

The report, Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service was published in July 2022 and provides details of the work involved in making the changes required to fulfil its net zero ambition.(9) Since publication of the report, NHS England has issued progress updates, experiences and case studies from across the NHS.(10)

Examples include:

The NHS in England employs over 1.3 million people, which makes it the biggest employer throughout the UK and Europe. There is significant potential for the organisation to reduce its impact on the environment and make a difference to public health.(11)

What can dietitians and nutritionists do?

There’s a lot going on already!

The British Dietetic Association (BDA:

  • The BDA published its Environmentally Sustainable Diets policy statement in 2021. It has been designed to ‘support the dietetic profession by providing insight into the complex science behind the nutritional and environmental criteria associated with environmentally sustainable diets.’ It led the way with One Blue Dot - the BDA's Environmentally Sustainable Diet Project, which has been running for several years now. This offers information and a toolkit to improve our understanding of sustainable diets and how to discuss them with patients or clients.
  • The BDA Sustainable Diets Specialist Group is also available to provide information and support on sustainable diets, planetary health and environmentally friendly nutrition. The group’s BDA page offers a wealth of resources and useful links, find out more here...
  • In addition, the BDA has recently shared its ‘Climate Change Survey’ with members to gather feedback on the consideration for declaring a climate emergency or not. This helps to support the planetary health commitments that the BDA has included in its strategic plan for 2024-2034. The survey provided an opportunity for members to share their thoughts on current levels of skills, knowledge and tools within the profession to tackle climate change. Members were encouraged to communicate their preferences regarding where the BDA should focus its resources to tackle climate change, and where the organisation’s environmental priorities should lie. The outcome of the survey will help to shape the BDA’s next steps in its environmental journey.

  • The BDA Industry Specialist Group (BDA ISG) 

    has been learning more about sustainability and sustainable practices in industry. A recent group members survey has been completed to consider how sustainable practices can be implemented by dietitians working in industry. This will provide valuable feedback on how the group can support its members and others working in industry. The BDA ISG aims to collaborate with other organisations and BDA specialist groups to support and encourage sustainable practice.

The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF):
The BNF provides guidance and information on healthy sustainable diets, covering plant-based options, how to choose food sustainably and how to reduce food waste. Find out more here...

External suppliers and manufacturers:
Many companies engage with the NHS and they have a role play in its journey to net zero and the general environmental impact of the food industry. Many dietitians and nutritionists who work in this sector can influence the sustainability of products and services. However, this may be a challenge considering the complexity of food manufacturing and supply chain systems.

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF):
Other industry bodies are also focusing on environmental sustainability. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) represents a diverse UK food and drink manufacturing industry. It includes over 1000 members, which incorporates many globally recognised brands. The FDF offers a range of resources which are often free to access. Webinars and podcasts are available, which focus on sustainable practices and regulations in the food and drink industry.

The British Specialist Nutrition Association (BSNA):
The BSNA is the industry group representing medical nutrition manufacturers in the UK. The group supports sustainable practices and has recently published an article on building sustainability into medical nutrition. You can read the full article here...

Coming up soon...

FDF Dates for your diary:

 

 

End note

Climate change and how to tackle it is a complex issue with many moving parts to consider. However, we all have a role play. Educating ourselves and others on the current state of our planet’s health and the impact this is having now and will have in the future is a key catalyst to driving change. There’s a wealth of reliable and evidence-based information available to us all now and it is our choice to utilise it in our daily lives, whether that’s at home and/or at work. Whilst none of us can tackle every part of the global sustainability muddle, small but collective changes can make a huge difference. Emma

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References

  1. NASA (2024) The Causes of Climate Change. Causes - NASA Science
  2. NASA (2024) The Effects of Climate Change. Effects - NASA Science
  3. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2022). The evidence is clear: the time for action is now. We can halve emissions by 2030. IPCC
  4. NHS England (2024). Greener NHS (england.nhs.uk)
  5. NHS England (2024). Greener NHS » Delivering a net zero NHS (england.nhs.uk)
  6. Office for National Statistics (2019). Net zero and the different official measures of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions - Office for National Statistics
  7. earth.org (2022). What Are Carbon Offsets and How Do They Work?
  8. The Conversation (2021). Net-zero, carbon-neutral, carbon-negative … confused by all the carbon jargon? Then read this (theconversation.com)
  9. NHS England (2022). Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service. Greener NHS » Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service (england.nhs.uk)
  10. NHS England (2024) System progress. Greener NHS » System progress (england.nhs.uk)
  11. NHS England (2024) Take action. Greener NHS » Take action (england.nhs.uk)