Acknowledgment of Country
The NSW Ministry of Health acknowledges Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands and waters of NSW and pays respect to Elders past, present and future. Aboriginal people have been remarkable stewards of this Land for more than 60,000 years and well understand the interconnections between human health and environmental health. The principles of stewardship and caring for Country will be critical in our transition to a high quality, environmentally sustainable and climate resilient health system.
NSW Health recognises we cannot continue to deliver high quality healthcare without responding to climate risk now.
Read more about our Roadmap
In the Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023 the NSW Government has legislated a 50% emissions reduction target by 2030 (based on 2005 levels) and committed to making NSW more resilient to a changing climate.
Climate change is having escalating impacts on human health and health services. NSW Health itself has a high carbon footprint.
NSW Health therefore has a responsibility to transition to a high quality, low carbon and climate resilient health service. Our work today is showing that in many cases, we can improve patient care, whilst reducing waste and emissions. More broadly, many climate actions would have substantial public health benefits: cleaner air, healthier diets and greener and cooler cities.
Adaptation planning means building resilience so that we’re prepared for climate impacts on our services, buildings, workforce and supply chains.
From the 2024 - 25 financial year NSW government entities will disclose climate-related risks and opportunities.
