NHS Scotland - climate emergency and sustainability: annual report 2025
This year’s report shows how NHS Scotland is working to reduce its environmental impact and adapting its infrastructure and services to address the risks presented by climate change. It also illustrates some of the wider benefits which work in this area offers.
Ministerial Foreword
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified climate change as a significant threat to public health and a priority for urgent action. The impacts of climate change affect every aspect of health, from the quality and accessibility of healthcare services to the wider determinants of health, such as clean air, safe water, and food security. At the same time healthcare services are thought to account for approximately 4.4%[1] of global greenhouse gas emissions. This highlights a dual responsibility of the health sector to both protect the public’s health and reduce its own environmental impact.
NHS Scotland’s emissions are estimated to exceed 1.7 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually.[2] It is crucial that we work to reduce carbon emissions and adapt our healthcare system into one that is both environmentally sustainable and continues to deliver high quality care for Scotland’s people.
NHS Scotland has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2040 and aims for a net zero supply chain by 2045 and the Scottish Government remains committed to supporting NHS Scotland to achieve those targets.
To co-ordinate these efforts, the Scottish Government has established the NHS Scotland Sustainability Action Programme. It provides strategic oversight and support for NHS Scotland to achieve net zero targets and embed sustainability across all areas while maintaining patient care standards.
This report provides an update on the work NHS Scotland has undertaken and the impact it has had on emissions and resource use. I am very pleased that, over the past year, NHS Scotland has made progress in reducing emissions in fleet, medical gases and building energy. Notably, over half of all NHS fleet cars are now electric vehicles (EVs) and some health boards have achieved almost 100% EV fleets.
I thank NHS Scotland colleagues for all their work to lessen the environmental impact of our health service and ask that they continue to work together to achieve the objectives which we need to meet to become a truly sustainable organisation that delivers excellent patient care.
Neil Gray
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care