Representatives from Health and Care Portsmouth organisations were delighted to attend the Climate Breakfast Reception at the Guildhall on 18 November.
At the event, attendees were invited to sign the Portsmouth Green Partnership Charter. Portsmouth City Council also launched their new Climate Change Strategy.
The Portsmouth Green Partnership Charter invites large employers to commit to the way they work in Portsmouth to support and promote environmental sustainability.
The signatories will work together to contribute to securing an environmentally sustainable future for Portsmouth by reducing carbon emissions and operational waste, supporting local biodiversity, and empowering and supporting those living and working in Portsmouth to make greener decisions.
The Climate Change Strategy details the council’s goal to become a “net zero carbon” council by 2030. Achieving net zero means reducing carbon emissions as much as possible, then balancing to zero by removing carbon out of the atmosphere.
Health and Care Portsmouth representatives from Portsmouth City Council, The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, The HIVE, and Portsmouth University Hospital Trust attended the event to sign the charter.
Jo York, Managing Director of Health and Care Portsmouth, said:
“Part of ensuring our residents can live healthy, safe, and independent lives is creating a greener and cleaner Portsmouth.
“By signing the Green Partnership Charter we are committing ourselves to reach net-zero carbon by 2030.
“This is a great opportunity to work with partners to maximise our impact and be a part of the global work being done to protect our futures.”
Mark Orchard, Chief Financial Officer at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust said:
“We are very proud to be part of the of the Portsmouth Green Partnership Charter. The NHS accounts for 5% of the national carbon footprint and health services across Hampshire and the IOW emit over 1 million tonnes of cardon dioxide each year alone.
“We have recently published our first Green Plan setting out our ambitious agenda that includes transformation in our clinical pathways, prescription advice and buying differently. The charter is our commitment to working in partnership across Portsmouth to deliver on this important agenda.”