The 'Salud Zer0 Emisiones Netas 2030' Strategy, promoted by the Canary Islands Government's Ministry of Health, has been recognized by the international scientific publication The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change as one of the most outstanding European tools for reducing the environmental impact of the Canary Islands' public health sector.
In its report ‘Health and Climate in Spain’, included in the 2026 annual analysis, The Lancet notes that “the Government of the Canary Islands has launched the 'Salud Zer0 Emisiones netas 2030' Program, establishing a formal strategy with quantified objectives and measurable progress”.
The publication analyzes the commitment of European public institutions to the environment and highlights the archipelago, along with Galicia, as one of the regions that has most actively worked on implementing tools to combat climate change, promoting more efficient and sustainable health systems.
Since the implementation of the 'Salud Zer0' Strategy, concrete initiatives have been developed, including the replacement of air conditioning and heating equipment, lighting upgrades, the adoption of renewable energy sources, and the implementation of new green fuels like Hydrogen and Methanol, a project declared strategic by the Canary Islands Government.
The archipelago is the first autonomous community in the country to have all its public hospitals certified for carbon footprint according to ISO 14064-1:2018, awarded by Aenor. An interdisciplinary working group has been established to promote research in this area.
During 2025, fourteen photovoltaic projects were installed on the roofs of Canary Islands health centers for self-consumption, with a total capacity of 2,650 kW and an investment of around 4.3 million euros from Next Generation funds. Lighting improvements, replacing fixtures with LED elements, involved an investment of two million euros and an annual saving of approximately 230,000 euros.
Furthermore, a geothermal energy system has been implemented at the Doctor José Molina Orosa University Hospital, and the University Hospital of La Palma has renovated its air conditioning system.
The 'Salud Zer0 Emisiones' Strategy includes proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Canary Islands health services by 2030. The goal is to achieve neutrality through the implementation of green hydrogen, sustainable mobility, renewable energy generation for self-sufficiency, management of infectious waste, and the application of intelligent measurement systems based on AI.
The 'Salud Zer0 Emisiones Netas 2030' Strategy was declared a Strategic Project for the Canary Islands, reinforcing the regional executive's commitment to more sustainable and innovative public healthcare, aligned with the Canary Agenda 2030.
The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change is an international collaboration that assesses compliance with Paris Agreement commitments by monitoring key health and climate change indicators.
