Educational Requirements for Carbon Neutrality

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At the 7th Nordic Conference on Sustainable Healthcare, Dr Sazdovski presented key findings from the CATALYSE Horizon Europe Project, focusing on the educational requirements necessary to achieve carbon neutrality in the Catalan healthcare system. His presentation highlighted three main drivers for curriculum transformation: the Need, the Gap, and the Pressure.

Drawing on the Theory of Change process conducted in 2023 and 2024, Dr Sazdovski outlined the first driver, the Need, defined through six key education areas:

• Governance, policy and institutional change

• Stakeholder engagement, participation and change management (top-down and bottom-up)

• Finance, business models and the economics of climate and sustainability

• Digitalisation, data, monitoring and evaluation

• Technical and sector-specific competencies (e.g., energy systems, low-carbon interventions)

• Systemic thinking and multi-pathway transition design

However, when comparing these findings with the Guidelines for Climate Change Mitigation, the second driver becomes clear: the Gap. According to the carbon footprint analysis of the Catalan healthcare system and associated high-impact mitigation scenarios, the six identified educational areas (the Need) address only 30% of the emissions reductions required by 2050.

Another 30% of reductions must come from cross-sectoral mitigation measures, such as decarbonising the electricity grid and improving public transport. Addressing these interlinkages requires enhanced knowledge and capacity-building not only among healthcare stakeholders but also across interconnected sectors.

An additional gap emerges from the projected increase in healthcare service demand, driven by demographic changes and the rising health impacts of climate change. This trend underscores the need for strengthened education in primary prevention and public health.

The third driver, the Pressure, reflects both the vulnerability and critical importance of healthcare systems —clearly demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic— and the growing societal call for change. Notably, student protests at the University of Barcelona have pushed for greater integration of climate-related content in university curricula.

“It is our obligation as educators to equip students with the practical knowledge they need to be competitive in the labour market and prepared to deliver a carbon-neutral Catalan healthcare system,” concluded Dr Sazdovski.

The Catalyse Project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement number:101057131 — CATALYSE   – HORIZON-HLTH-2021-ENVHLTH-02