The Canary Islands Health Service’s (SCS) Zero Net Emissions Health Strategy 2030 has won a Health for Climate Award 2026 in the ‘Regional Service’ category, recognising its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance the decarbonisation of healthcare.
Raúl Falcón, Deputy Director of Sustainability Management and Ecological Transition at the SCS, accepted the award at a ceremony in Madrid earlier this month. The strategy sets out measures to reduce the health service’s carbon footprint and promote more sustainable healthcare by 2030.
Raúl Falcón, Deputy Director of Sustainability Management and Ecological Transition at the SCS highlighted the commitment of the Canary Islands’ public healthcare sector to implementing measures that support sustainable development, reduce its carbon footprint and deliver practical energy-saving initiatives.
The Zero Net Emissions Health Strategy 2030 sets out measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the Canary Islands’ health services by 2030, helping to mitigate the impact of climate change.
The strategy aims to achieve this through initiatives including the use of green hydrogen to generate heat and domestic hot water (DHW), the promotion of sustainable mobility at hospital sites, the development of a sustainable mobility hub and a renewable energy programme to increase the SCS’s energy self-sufficiency.
Other measures include treating highly infectious healthcare waste on-site so that it can be converted into municipal solid waste; using AI-powered smart measurement systems to optimise the monitoring and reduction of hospitals’ carbon footprints; and introducing intelligent lighting and climate-control systems.
Through these initiatives, the SCS aims to become an international pioneer in implementing innovative measures to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality across public healthcare services.
The Zero Net Emissions Health Strategy 2030 has been designated a Strategic Project for the Canary Islands and awarded the ‘Strategic for the Canary Islands’ seal.
This recognition reinforces the regional government’s commitment to a more sustainable and innovative public healthcare system aligned with the Canary Islands’ 2030 Agenda.
The Health for Climate Awards are presented by the Health for Climate platform, which brings together stakeholders across the healthcare sector who are committed to society, the environment and a sustainable future.
The platform aims to accelerate climate action within Spain’s healthcare system by helping to reduce its carbon footprint, supporting healthcare professionals in promoting preventive measures and highlighting the links between human health and climate change.
The awards recognise initiatives led by healthcare centres and regional health authorities that demonstrate a strong commitment to climate action and contribute to decarbonising the sector while protecting the health of people and the planet.
