About the GGHH Pacific Network
GGHH is a worldwide network of health institutions working to reduce the health sector’s environmental footprint and foster a healthy future for people and the planet.
The Climate and Health Alliance co-ordinates GGHH in the Pacific Region (Australia and New Zealand). GGHH is a project of international Non-Governmental Organisation, Health Care
Without Harm.
As of June 2025, there are 167 GGHH Pacific members representing the interests of over 2,830 hospitals and health services across Australia and New Zealand.
Globally there are over 2,115 members from 87 countries who represent the interests of more than 70,000 hospitals and health services.
GGHH Pacific is a collaborative community in which members learn from one another by sharing information and experiences to help accelerate the transition to low carbon, environmentally sustainable healthcare across the world.
GGHH members in Australia and New Zealand are being internationally recognised for their accomplishments in greening the health sector and improving global public health through action on climate change.
Global Green and Healthy Hospitals have 167 members in the Pacific region representing over 2,830 hospitals and health services
GGHH is based around a framework of 10 interconnected goals that guide practice:
Leadership
Prioritise environmental health as a strategic imperative
Chemicals
Substitute harmful chemicals with safer alternatives
Waste
Reduce, treat and safely dispose of healthcare waste
Energy
Implement energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy generation
Water
Reduce hospital water consumption and supply potable water
Transportation
Improve transportation strategies for patients and staff
Food
Purchase and serve sustainably grown, healthy food
Pharmaceuticals
Prescribe appropriately, safely manage and properly dispose of pharmaceuticals
Buildings
Support green and healthy hospital design and construction
Purchasing
Buy safer and more sustainable products and materials
Membership
GGHH membership is free of charge for hospitals, health and aged care facilities, and health systems.
As a joining member, your organisation or health service will select two goals to pledge to work towards. These are chosen from the ten goals that are laid out in the GGHH Agenda and aim to address and promote greater sustainability and environmental health within the sector.
Once an organisation becomes a member, nominated employees can access the online tools and resources that are available, including:
- GGHH Connect - our online platform that brings the GGHH member community and provides access to tools and resources, including:
- Discussion forums that provide a space for members worldwide to meet virtually to ask questions, share experiences, and collaborate.
- Guidance documents outline opportunities to reduce environmental impacts within a goal area, including step by step guide and links to further resource.
- Hippocrates Data Center - interactive data center to track, store, and visualise sustainability data.
- Webinar recordings offered on topics including the GGHH goals, current events of interest, and important research and publications.
- Case studies provided by the international network of GGHH members that highlight successful initiatives across the ten goals.
- GGHH Pacific Member Update - fortnightly newsletter containing sustainable healthcare news, events and sources.
- Pacific region member update meetings that provide an opportunity to network with others working in sustainable healthcare and hear from guest speakers.
- Pacific region email group - a platform to communicate with other Pacific region GGHH members.
Communities of Practice
- Pacific region Food Community of Practice to learn more about sustainable food in healthcare and learn from other members working on food initiatives.
- Pacific region Waste Community of Practice to learn more about waste avoidance, behaviour change, green procurement, waste management
Community of Action for the Reduction of Emissions (CARE) Program
- a multi year program (2025-26) aimed at accelerating progress towards sustainable and climate resilient healthcare. Read more.
Initiatives
- Health Care Climate Challenge - engages and equips health care institutions to commit to effective climate action across 3 pillars: mitigation, resilience, leadership.
- Race to Zero - global campaign initiated by the UNFCCC, committing health organisations to at least net zero by 2050.
Member Testimonials
.
The ten goals of GGHH continue to be the framework which underpins all of the activities and initiatives in our health service. The goals provide a focus for our sustainability efforts and provide assurance our activities are aligned with health agencies around the world.
The opportunity to learn about the amazing work happening elsewhere that could be useful to apply in our own context. Also, being able to discuss barriers and enablers within other health systems helps to proactively address issues that could arise when actioning environmental sustainability work in healthcare.
The GGHH network provides us with a sense of solidarity. The role of an environmental sustainability officer (in particular) is a very solo role - so the chance for professional practise/review is my biggest draw to come along to GGHH forums.
GGHH Pacific provides a platform for knowledge sharing. This has been extremely useful in helping us learn and develop initiatives. For example, we are implementing soft plastic recycling and through GGHH, we were able to identify other hospitals that have soft plastic recycling suppliers in Melbourne. Being part of the discussion forums on GGHH page has also allowed us to identify opportunities.