National Academy of Medicine, 15 November 2024

Emissions Disclosures and Energy Use Reporting by Hospitals in the United States

The health sector accounts for approximately 8.5 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions, and hospital care makes up the greatest portion of the sector’s emissions. As the impacts of climate change intensify, it is imperative that the health sector reduces its emissions.

Tracking and reporting annual building energy use and emissions data is a critical first step toward reducing emissions. Across the United States, there are various federal, state, and local reporting requirements along with voluntary commitments that organizations have made to regularly disclose their emissions. This discussion paper summarizes reporting requirements and provides, for the first time to our knowledge, an estimate of the total number and percent of US hospitals that are required to or are voluntarily reporting their emissions on a regular basis. These data provide insight into the current state of health sector decarbonization and the nationwide programs that are holding them accountable.