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06/09/2024The PVCMed Alliance is excited to announce its participation in the Reference Stakeholder Group of the CARING NATURE project, an EU Horizon Europe initiative. The PVCMed Alliance will contribute its expertise on the benefits and circular economy potential of PVC applications, promoting sustainable practices within the healthcare sector.
Addressing the Environmental Impact of Healthcare
The healthcare sector is responsible for 4-5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with hospitals and other healthcare entities being significant contributors. If no action is taken, these emissions are projected to increase substantially by 2050. Despite the urgent need for energy efficiency and waste reduction, healthcare providers prioritise patient care and safety, making the implementation of environmentally friendly practices challenging.
CARING NATURE: A Vision for a Greener Healthcare Sector
CARING NATURE, which stands for ClimAte neutRal INitiatives for GrowiNg heAlTh and care Unmet Requirements, aims to revolutionise the healthcare sector by developing, testing, and validating ten innovative solutions to reduce non-supply chain GHG emissions. The project's vision extends the caring nature of healthcare workers from patient care to environmental stewardship. By leveraging existing solutions from non-hospital contexts and adapting them to the healthcare environment, CARING NATURE seeks to achieve effective, economically viable, and widely accepted green solutions.
The Role of the Reference Stakeholder Group
The Reference Stakeholder Group comprises 47 members, including 11 EU-level organisations and 36 national-level organisations from nine European countries. These members collaborate with CARING NATURE to develop sustainable solutions tailored to the healthcare sector's unique needs. As a new member, the PVCMed Alliance will actively participate in this collaborative effort.
A Commitment to Both Patients and Nature
The ethos of CARING NATURE is encapsulated in the belief that "the nature of the health and care workers should be CARING both for their patients and for NATURE." This philosophy underpins all project initiatives, aiming to foster a cultural shift towards environmental responsibility within the healthcare sector.
This project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation action programme under grant agreement n°101137340.
