Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for the Health Care Sector

This submission by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care and partners outlines recommendations for increasing the resiliency and sustainability of the Canadian health care sector in response to climate change. It emphasizes the need for infrastructure renewal, the adoption of renewable energy, and the integration of climate resiliency assessments into health care facility management to ensure continuous service delivery during extreme weather events.

• Climate change is identified as a major threat to public health, with the World Health Organization estimating that starting in 2030, it will cause 250,000 additional annual deaths from under-nutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat exposure.
• The Canadian health care sector faces significant infrastructure challenges, with hospital buildings accounting for 30% ($66 billion) of a $220 billion national spend. HealthCareCAN estimates that up to $28 billion is required for hospital infrastructure renewal in Canada.
• Health care facilities are highly energy-intensive and often inefficient compared to other OECD countries. The document suggests that a 15% annual saving in the sector's $1 billion utility costs—approximately $150 million per year—could be achieved through energy efficiency and redirected to patient care.
• Extreme weather events, including flooding and permafrost melting, have caused temporary closures of health care facilities, particularly in coastal, northern, and First Nations areas. The document recommends that new builds and retrofits be designed with site-specific climate change resiliency features to make hospitals 'durable'.
• The document advocates for the use of Green Revolving Funds (GRFs) to finance energy efficiency projects, citing a pioneer model in British Columbia's Lower Mainland Health Authorities. In Ontario, data analysis suggests that a $250 million investment could support 980 energy efficiency projects, reducing GHG emissions by 54 million kg/year and saving $38 million annually.
• Combined heat and power (CHP) systems are highlighted as effective for maintaining hospital operations during extreme weather, as evidenced by hospitals on the US east coast during Super Storm Sandy. The report calls for research into powering CHP systems with hydrogen via renewable energy.
• There is a critical need for knowledge translation and capacity building, as most health care facilities have not conducted climate change resiliency assessments or reliable carbon footprinting. The report recommends training 'champions' in the sector and leveraging the trust of doctors and nurses to deliver climate health messages to the public.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2016). Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for the Health Care Sector. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.-Green-Health-Care-submission-for-the-consideration-of-Federal-Provincial-Territorial-Working-Group-on-Adaptation-and-Climate-Resilience-August-2016.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for the Health Care Sector. 2016. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.-Green-Health-Care-submission-for-the-consideration-of-Federal-Provincial-Territorial-Working-Group-on-Adaptation-and-Climate-Resilience-August-2016.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for the Health Care Sector |date=18 August 2016 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.-Green-Health-Care-submission-for-the-consideration-of-Federal-Provincial-Territorial-Working-Group-on-Adaptation-and-Climate-Resilience-August-2016.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2016climate, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for the Health Care Sector}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2016}, month = aug, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.-Green-Health-Care-submission-for-the-consideration-of-Federal-Provincial-Territorial-Working-Group-on-Adaptation-and-Climate-Resilience-August-2016.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }