Strategic Area 1: Climate and health

Climate change and environmental degradation affect the health of the population, particularly the disadvantaged. For the HUG, the challenges are multiple :

• to anticipate the spread of diseases and how often they occur
• to adapt the infrastructure to climate change
• reduce the hospitals’ direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions.

The HUG are committed to moving towards Net zero emission in hospital activities. In order to achieve this ambition, they intend to adopt a climate action plan and objectives for 2030 and 2050, in order to reduce their direct and indirect emissions and the impact of climate change on their activities and on healthcare.

The Climate and Health area of the 2022–2025 Action Plan is based on 11 objectives and 29 actions. 

For 26 of these, the 2025 target has been met or partially met, thanks in particular to reductions in energy consumption, a significant increase in greening, sustainable mobility, and eco-responsible changes to medical and healthcare practices.

Reduce energy consumption

• Total energy consumption is steadily decreasing. It fell from 176 GWh in 2021 to 139 GWh in 2025 (-21%).
  • Electricity consumption was reduced by 3% between 2021 and 2025, representing savings of more than 1.7 GWh/year of electricity.
  • Heating consumption decreased by 30% between 2021 and 2025, representing savings of almost 37 GWh/year in heating energy.

Production and consumption of renewable energy

• In 2025, the HUG’s facilities generated 689 MWh of electricity, equivalent to the consumption of 230 households in Geneva.

Increase the use of sustainable mobility for commuting

• 66% of HUG staff are eco-mobile (+35% compared to 2021) 
  • 26% commute by bicycle between home and work (+73% between 2021 and 2025)
• +30% bicycle parking spaces compared to 2021 (1 537 spaces in 2025)  

Integrate the environmental dimension into medical and nursing practices

• Launch of the internal “eco-units” certification obtained by 21 care units
• -75% reduction in anesthetic gas emissions (between 2021 and 2025)
  • Discontinued use of Desflurane use, an anesthetic gas with a high climate impact, in the Anesthesiology Department in 2022
  • Reduction in the use of nitrous oxide (N2O), another anesthetic gas with a high climate impact

Reduce the effects of heatwaves and promote biodiversity

• 32 hectares of green space, 17% of which are SPB-certified biodiversity promotion areas.
• Redevelopment and greening of the Julliard esplanade site.

Reduce the impact of professional travels

• 59% of electric vehicles in HUG’s fleet consists, including 6 electric trucks
• In 2024, six electric trucks were put into service for internal logistics and charging facilities.