Greening the healthcare sector through Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH)
We're supporting hospitals, health services and health organisations in Australia and New Zealand to participate in the Global Green and Healthy Hospital (GGHH) Network.
Global Green and Healthy Hospitals is a free global network for hospitals and health organisations who are committed to reducing their ecological footprint and promoting public and environmental health.
CAHA is proud to have founded and coordinated the Pacific Region of the network since 2012, recruiting 100+ health systems and health networks across Australia and New Zealand to join.
Other aspects of our Sustainable Healthcare Program
We're also currently running two projects that focuse on reducing plastics in healthcare:
- A reducing plastics in healthcare campaign
- An EPIC Program for Health Pilot, in partnership with Plastic Oceans Australasia
Join the GGHH network
Join the Health Care Climate Challenge
Sign up here to receive our sustainable healthcare newsletter and notification of events
By joining the network, your health institution is demonstrating its commitment to protecting the environment and providing a safe, healthy future for your community.
Membership is open to:
- Hospitals
- Health care facilities (e.g. community health centers; primary care facilities)
- Health system members (private, public, private for charity)
- Health, professional and academic organisations members
Members will get:
- access to a network of sustainable healthcare peers
- resources developed specifically for sustainable healthcare
- opportunities to promote your health service's environmental successes and be recognised internationally through awards programs, such as the Healthcare Climate Challenge
Members need to outline their commitment working towards two of the following areas:
- LEADERSHIP: Prioritise environmental health
- CHEMICALS: Substitute harmful chemicals with safer alternatives
- WASTE: Reduce, treat and safely dispose of healthcare waste
- ENERGY: Implement energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy generation
- WATER: Reduce hospital water consumption and supply potable water
- TRANSPORTATION: Improve transportation strategies for patients and staff
- FOOD: Purchase and serve sustainably grown, healthy food
- PHARMACEUTICALS: Safely manage and dispose of pharmaceuticals
- BUILDINGS: Support green and healthy hospital design and construction
- PURCHASING: Buy safer and more sustainable products and materials
If you want to encourage employers or member organisations to join the GGHH network, contact our Sustainable Healthcare program manager.
About the GGHH network in the Pacific Region (Australia and New Zealand)
The GGHH network is an initiative of the Climate and Health Alliance’s (CAHA) international partner and affiliate, Health Care Without Harm (HCWH). Through a grant from HCWH, CAHA coordinates the network in the Pacific region (Australia and New Zealand).
A GGHH Pacific region summary document is available here, and the GGHH Pacific Region Annual Report (2020-2021) is available here.
Learn more about how members in the Pacific region are working to improve sustainability by viewing a list of member's environmental sustainability plans and strategies here and via the GGHH Case study library here.
CAHA regularly hold sustainable healthcare events, including an annual Greening the Healthcare Sector Forum. Read more about our 2021 Greening the Healthcare Sector Forum here and learn more about past events here.
GGHH Pacific region members work is regularly featured in our Sustainable Healthcare newsletter.
GGHH Pacific region members
As of July 2022, there are 125 GGHH members in the Pacific region, representing over 2,206 hospitals and health services.
GGHH Pacific Region Sustainability Case Studies
Leadership
- Australia | Developing an Environmental Sustainability Plan, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Download case study
- Australia | Establishing Structures to Enable Climate Resilient Healthcare, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District. Download case study
- Australia | Leadership, Mater Health Services. Download case study
- Australia | Stakeholder Engagement, Mater Health Services. Download case study
- Australia | Waste Management Planning in a New Build, Mater Misericordiae Limited. Download case study
- Australia | Food Room Service Project, Mater Health Services. Download case study
- Australia | Paper Reduction, Mater Health Services. Download case study
- Australia | Development of a Local Sustainability Action Plan, Western Health. Download case study
- Australia | Greening Hospitals Hackathon, Australian Medical Students Association (AMSA) Code Green. Download case study
- New Zealand | Communication and Engagement, How to Foster Support and Maintain Interest for Green Interventions in Healthcare, Counties Manukau District Health Board. Download case study
- New Zealand | Green Teams, Counties Manukau District Health Board. Download case study
- New Zealand | Sustainability at APAC (Asia Pacific Forum) 2015, Counties Manukau District Health Board. Download case study
- New Zealand | Theatre Recycling at Middlemore Hospital, Counties Manukau District Health Board. Download case study
Waste
- Australia | Minimising Plastic Straw Use, UnitingCare Queensland. Download case study
- Australia | Anaesthetic Gases – Greenhouse Gas Reductions, Western Health. Download case study
- Australia | Comparing Reusable to Single use Anesthetic Equipment, Western Health. Download case study
- Australia | Recycling of Single Use Metal Instruments, Western Health. Download case study
- Australia | Eco WarriERs: Reducing waste in the Fiona Stanley Hospital Emergency Department, South Metropolitan Health Service. Download the case study
- New Zealand | Greener Dialysis- Reduce Medical Waste (MW) from each Hemodialysis (HD), Auckland District Health Board. Download case study
- New Zealand | Greening Operating Rooms- Compostable Drug Trays, Auckland District Health Board. Download case study
Energy
- Australia | Community Energy Efficiency Program UnitingCare Community and Blue Care. Download case study
- Australia | Energy Savings: Parking Lot Lighting, Mater Health Services. Download case study
- Australia | Regional Health Solar Progarm, Department of Health Victoria. Download case study
Transportation
- Australia | Transport at Mater Health Services, Mater Health Services. Download case study
- Australia | Transport Access Guide, Mater Health Services. Download case study
Food
- Australia | Food Room Service Project, Mater Health Services. Download case study
- Australia | R.A.W. project – Rescued and Wasted Food, Queanbeyan Hospital and Health Service. Download case study
- Australia | Reducing hunger and food waste in our community, Melbourne Health. Download case study