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The climate crisis is a health crisis. Rising temperatures, air pollution, and extreme weather events are already impacting people’s health, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable. These challenges are not just environmental issues, they are healthcare issues, economic issues, and social justice issues. The need for bold, joined-up action has never been greater.

That’s why Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission, and the Greener NHS team brought together leaders from across the region for a high-level roundtable on health and climate, chaired by Baroness Brown of Cambridge. This was a key conversation to explore how the health system in the region can strengthen its leadership on climate action, while improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities.

Why now? The case for urgent, coordinated action

The evidence is clear, climate change intensifies health inequalities. Those already experiencing the greatest disadvantages are also the most likely to be affected, facing increased risks such as respiratory conditions from poor air quality and a rise in heat-related illnesses. At the same time, the NHS is under growing pressure, as extreme weather events strain services, disrupt supply chains, and challenge the resilience of healthcare infrastructure.

However, the climate crisis is also a health opportunity. Bold action can reduce harm and improve lives lowering healthcare costs, creating jobs, enhancing productivity, and strengthening communities. The region has an opportunity to lead, and the roundtable brought together the voices needed to make that vision real, through concrete, coordinated action across our region.

What we heard

The discussion surfaced a set of powerful insights. Many NHS teams want to go further on climate, but are held back by capacity, unclear mandates, and fragmented governance. Staff lack the time, training, and system-wide support to integrate climate into their daily work. Meanwhile, national policy can sometimes lack the specificity needed to support clear, practical action at a local level.

Despite this, momentum is building. Across the region, green plans are growing, sustainable innovation is taking root, and partnerships tackling these issues are forming. The roundtable identified five strategic priorities to accelerate this work:

• Set a clear, inspiring vision: Co-create and communicate a practical, hopeful vision of a low-carbon, climate-resilient NHS to guide local strategies and engage staff.
•  Embed climate education across the workforce: Integrate climate and health into all levels of training, from clinical to operational roles, empowering staff as advocates for change.
• Create a regional best practice hub: Establish a platform to share case studies, tools, and data, making it easier to scale what works and avoid duplication.
• Leverage regional leadership to shape policy: Use the region’s collective strength to push for national standards, funding, and clearer frameworks, while aligning local health, housing, and transport goals.
• Strengthen and expand green plans: Ensure green plans are embedded in everyday decision-making and broaden their focus to include adaptation, prevention, and health equity.

Turning conversations into action

One of the key outcomes of the discussion was identifying immediate, achievable actions that organisations can commit to now. These include:

• Adopting the climate adaptation framework: A practical tool to help NHS organisations assess their climate risks and implement resilience strategies.
• Addressing nitrous oxide leaks: Reducing leaks could significantly cut emissions, lower costs, and improve safety for patients and staff.
• Expanding the South Yorkshire impact assessment tool: Ensuring new healthcare programmes are evaluated on their environmental impact.

Beyond this, the roundtable was the first step in building lasting partnerships to address the health and climate emergency across Yorkshire & The Humber.

What’s next?

This event reinforced a crucial message, no single organisation can tackle this crisis alone. We must work collectively across health, economic, and environmental sectors to drive meaningful, long-term change.

The conversations started here will shape the future of how we approach climate action in the regional health system, ensuring that we protect not only our planet but also the health and wellbeing of future generations.

Look out for the full post-event paper, which will summarise the key takeaways and next steps. If you’re interested in being part of this vital work, please get in touch at info@healthinnovationyh.org.uk.

We would be thrilled to hear from you.