UC Davis Health recognized as a 2022 Health Care Climate Champion
By Clifton B. Parker
(SACRAMENTO)
UC Davis Health has been recognized as a 2022 Climate Champion by Health Care Without Harm. The international award recognizes the health system’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.
By taking part in the Health Care Climate Challenge, UC Davis Health has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. It has also pledged to prepare for the impacts of extreme weather and the shifting burden of disease. This involves educating staff and the public while promoting policies to protect public health from climate change.
UC Davis Health was one of only 55 health systems internationally and 19 health systems in the U.S. recognized with an award this year. More than 300 health care facilities are taking part in the Climate Challenge. They include more than 28,000 hospitals and health centers in 43 countries.
We are honored to receive these awards and to be a part of a global community of health care institutions on every continent leading the transformation to climate-smart health care.”—Kristina Cullen, director of sustainability at UC Davis Health
UC Davis Health received the following awards:
Renewable Energy – Silver
Climate Resilience – Silver
Climate Leadership – Gold
“We are honored to receive these awards and to be a part of a global community of health care institutions on every continent leading the transformation to climate-smart health care,” said Kristina Cullen, director of sustainability at UC Davis Health. “We celebrate this moment with everyone at UC Davis Health and with our colleagues around the world. And we look forward to the work ahead as we continue prioritize our role in protecting the future health of our community, environment and planet.”
UC Davis Health was recognized for its efforts in renewable energy purchases, climate leadership, and resilience activities. For example, the health system has embarked on renewable energy purchases, a goal of carbon neutrality, and regional climate resilience planning.
In 2022, Practice Greenhealth recognized UC Davis Health as one of the top 25 hospitals in the country for environmental sustainability. Data for U.S. health systems was pulled from Practice Greenhealth for the Climate Champion awards.
UC Davis Health is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half throughout its operations by 2030 and achieving net-zero by no later than 2050.
Health Care Without Harm Global leads the Climate Challenge Awards. It selects winners based on health systems reporting a certain threshold of renewable energy, emissions reductions, leadership goals and actions and resilience programming.
UC Davis Medical Center is a comprehensive academic medical center where clinical practice, teaching and research converge to advance human health. Centers of excellence include the National Cancer Institute-designated UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center; the region's only Level 1 pediatric and adult trauma centers; the UC Davis MIND Institute, devoted to finding treatments and cures for neurodevelopmental disorders; and the UC Davis Children's Hospital. The medical center serves a 33-county, 65,000-square-mile area that stretches north to the Oregon border and east to Nevada. It further extends its reach through the award-winning telemedicine program, which gives remote, medically underserved communities throughout California unprecedented access to specialty and subspecialty care. For more information, visit medicalcenter.ucdavis.edu.
