Last year, Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) officially joined the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH) network. GGHH is an international organization with over 1,750 members from more than 80 countries, dedicated to transforming the healthcare sector to achieve a healthier and more sustainable future. GGHH encourages hospitals, healthcare facilities, and health systems to reduce their environmental impact while promoting public and environmental health. Through ten interconnected goals—Leadership, Chemicals, Waste, Energy, Water, Transportation, Food, Pharmaceuticals, Buildings, and Purchasing—GGHH supports its members’ sustainability efforts by providing innovative tools and resources.

This year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released the “Navigating New Horizons: A Global Foresight Report on Planetary Health and Human Wellbeing,” emphasizing the interdependence between the environment and human health. The report calls for urgent collective action by nations worldwide to build a sustainable future through international cooperation. It highlights not only the risks posed by environmental issues but also the new opportunities that can arise through green economies and technological innovation. This perspective underscores the need for transformative change while also offering a message of hope for the future.

These discussions are expected to deepen in various international forums, such as the 6th Asia-Pacific Green Healthcare System Conference in Vietnam, the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan, where health and climate change will be key topics, and the upcoming international negotiations on the Plastics Convention in South Korea. These discussions will explore the healthcare sector’s role in addressing the health impacts of climate change, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss.

The Japanese government has integrated “Planetary Health” into its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has incorporated it into the Sixth Basic Environment Plan led by the Ministry of the Environment. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has also joined the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), and the promotion of planetary health is mentioned in Japan’s Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform, known as the “Honebuto Policy.” The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has also positioned planetary health and the nexus of climate change and health as cross-cutting issues within its “Global Agenda,” supporting bilateral cooperation. Additionally, in addressing plastic pollution, including marine environments, Japan has advocated for the “Osaka Blue Ocean Vision,” which aims to eliminate additional marine plastic pollution by 2050.

This symposium will bring together leading experts from Japan and abroad to share international insights and explore strategies to reduce the environmental impact of Japan’s healthcare system while identifying opportunities for collaboration with the global community.

[Event Overview]

• Date & Time: Tuesday, November 5, 2024; 15:00-16:50 JST
• Format: In-person
• Venue: Global Business Hub Tokyo, Grand Cube 3F, Otemachi Financial City, 1-9-2, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
• Language: Japanese and English (with simultaneous interpretation)
• Participation Fee: Free
• Host: Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)
• Co-host: Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH)
• Supported by: Japan Zero Carbon Welfare Council, Green Practice Japan
• Capacity: 80 (first-come, first-served basis)

[Program] (Titles omitted, listed in alphabetical order, including those in the process of requesting to present at the event)

15:00-15:10 Opening Remarks

Nick Thorp (Network Director, Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH))

15:10-15:50 Keynote Speeches

Ming-Nan Lin (Vice Superintendent, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital)
Motohisa Kojo (Chairman, Hakuhokai Group)

16:00-16:45 Panel Discussion

Ming-Nan Lin (Vice Superintendent, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital)
Motohisa Kojo (Chairman, Hakuhokai Group)
Mara Medrano (Regional Engagement Manager, Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia)
Yuko Kidoguchi (Vice President, Corporate Affairs, AstraZeneca K.K.)

16:45-16:50 Closing Remarks