Healthcare accounts for 4.6% of carbon emissions in Taiwan. In response to climate change, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan's largest healthcare system, and its nine affiliated campuses signed the "Hospital Sustainability Initiative" with the Taiwan Institute of Sustainable Energy (TAISE) yesterday (18th), pledging to improve hospital governance and environmental sustainability. The initiative includes establishing a dedicated sustainability unit, regularly reviewing and disclosing electricity consumption or carbon emissions, striving to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and formulating relevant adaptation strategies.
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital stated that it has long been committed to energy conservation and carbon reduction, setting annual energy conservation targets for each campus. Regarding renewable energy, the Kaohsiung and Tucheng campuses have installed solar water heating systems, and the Linkou Yongqing Campus, Taoyuan Campus, and Chiayi Campus are also implementing solar power generation systems, totaling 350.08 kW.
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital is the fourth medical institution to sign the sustainability initiative, accounting for 4.6% of total emissions in Taiwan.
Currently, all medical institutions that have signed the sustainable development initiative include Shin Kong Hospital, Taipei Medical University Hospital, and Far Eastern Memorial Hospital. However, they are all single-campus hospitals. Chang Gung Medical System is the first to sign across multiple campuses.
As Taiwan's largest healthcare system, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, led by Cheng Wenjun, Chairman of the Executive Planning Committee, has a large team to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable development. The presidents or vice presidents of all nine campuses were present in person yesterday to sign the document.
Cheng Wenjun stated that healthcare accounts for 4.6% of Taiwan's carbon emissions, higher than the global average of 4.4%. Taiwan must work harder to protect the planet. Chang Gung Memorial Hospital is actively playing a leading role in global carbon reduction efforts. As early as 2006, the hospital conducted carbon emissions audits based on ISO standards and established annual reduction targets. In 2018, the hospital established a Sustainable Development Committee and received the Platinum Award for Sustainability Reporting from the Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards (TCSA) in both 2019 and 2021.
Healthcare's carbon emissions exceed those of transportation. Jian Youxin suggests starting with air conditioning.
Ambassador-at-Large of the Republic of China and Chairman of the Taiwan Sustainable Energy Research Foundation, Jian Youxin, stated that with climate change intensifying, achieving net-zero carbon emissions is becoming increasingly urgent for the planet. "It's like being in a car and the driver is accelerating just as we're about to hit a wall." Taiwan passed the Climate Change Response Act this year, enshrining the 2050 net-zero emissions target. Medical institutions must also work harder to reduce emissions. He suggested that hospitals first establish medium- and long-term sustainability goals to enhance their core competitiveness and resilience.
Jian Youxin pointed out that healthcare accounts for 4.4% of global carbon emissions. However, "tens of thousands of aircraft fly around the world every day, and tens of thousands of passenger and cargo ships travel by ship and cargo," yet transportation accounts for only 3%. This clearly demonstrates the healthcare system's crucial role in carbon reduction. In Taiwan, medical institutions use one-sixth of energy in the non-manufacturing sector, making them a leading carbon emitter.
Seventy percent of electricity used in medical institutions goes to air conditioning and lighting. Jian Youxin gave the example that most hospitals keep temperatures very low to reduce microbial activity and prevent the spread of bacteria. However, not every room requires low temperatures, so he suggested hospitals start with air conditioning. Cheng Wenjun stated that Chang Gung Memorial Hospital will improve its sustainability through smart buildings, water and energy conservation, and green procurement.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/236790)
