Government-Led Reforms
Recognizing the urgency to take corrective measures and set a roadmap for promising developments, the Indian government has initiated several reforms to steer healthcare toward sustainability. In July 2025, India launched its first Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework, developed by experts from leading hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and investment funds, specifically tailored for the healthcare sector. It lays out 107 ESG indicators, including biomedical waste management, antimicrobial resistance, green hospital infrastructure, ethical supply chains, and digital health adoption. Over two-thirds of Indian healthcare organizations have established ESG boards or committees to drive sustainability practices, reflecting a growing institutional commitment to climate resilience and social equity.
Initiatives under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and increased budget allocations have aimed not only at expanding healthcare access but also at embedding climate action into health infrastructure development. The mission supports sustainable infrastructure development by expanding digital health platforms that optimize resource utilization and improve energy efficiency in healthcare delivery. Increased budgetary allocations emphasize climate resilience, integrating solar power and low-carbon technologies in rural and urban health infrastructure expansion.
Public health leaders align their strategies with international climate frameworks, such as the COP28 (Conference of Parties) commitments, pledging to reduce emissions in health facilities in line with India’s net-zero targets by 2070. These efforts underscore government’s resolve to drive decarbonization while improving healthcare delivery. Immediate government priorities include increasing public healthcare spending and emphasizing primary and preventive care to reduce burdens on tertiary facilities.
Aligning Indian Healthcare Policy with Global Climate Action
India’s healthcare system is progressively aligning with global environmental agendas through forums like the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH) network and the Health and Environment Leadership Platform (HELP). These collaborative efforts facilitate knowledge sharing, benchmark progress, and drive climate resilience in health systems. By integrating sustainable development goals (SDGs), India aims to foster health systems that are environmentally responsible and equitable, ensuring access without compromising future resources. The healthcare sector’s focus on net-zero emissions and circular economy principles reflects an understanding that planetary health is inseparable from human health.
Green Healthcare: Net Zero Hospitals
The concept of Net Zero Hospitals, which aim for carbon neutrality through energy-efficient infrastructure, renewable energy integration, water conservation, and waste minimization, is emerging as the gold standard in green healthcare. The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) has developed a Green Healthcare Rating System that sets benchmarks for eco-friendly hospital design and operations. Implementing these practices can reduce energy consumption by 30-40% and water use by 20-30%, simultaneously enhancing patient recovery rates and reducing hospital stay durations. These eco-friendly interventions also enhance indoor environmental quality, which is linked to faster patient recovery, reducing recovery times by up to 15% and hospital stay durations by as much as 41%. Hospitals adopting such standards ensure improved indoor air quality and a healthier environment that benefits patients, staff, and the wider community.
Innovations in Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chains
Beyond infrastructure, innovation in green logistics and sustainable supply chains is also essential to meet the desired objective. India added 25 GW of renewable energy capacity in FY 2024-25, marking a 35% increase over the previous year, with a major contribution from solar power installations. This growth supports hospitals adopting solar and biogas energy systems to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower carbon footprints.
Indian hospitals plan to raise IT innovation budgets by 20-25% over the next 2-3 years, with a strong focus on automation, AI-driven inventory management, and digital tools that streamline supply chains. Supply chain sustainability is driven by prioritizing locally sourced, eco-friendly medical supplies and packaging, reducing transportation emissions and minimizing plastic waste. Digital systems enable real-time inventory tracking and route optimization for transport, reducing resource waste and inefficiencies.
By 2025, India reached a total installed power capacity of 476 GW, with almost 50% coming from non-fossil fuel sources, including 226.9 GW of renewable energy. This expanding clean energy infrastructure facilitates hospitals switching to energy-efficient HVAC systems and LED lighting fueled by greener power grids. These steps collectively lower operational costs and environmental impact while maintaining high-quality care.
The Road Ahead
It is safe to conclude that the healthcare sector must also act as a steward for the environment that underpins public health by shouldering the responsibility to decarbonize and adopt sustainable practices for protecting and improving environmental health. Investment in innovative technologies and continued government support can further accelerate this transition. By pioneering green transformations and embracing Net Zero Hospital frameworks, India’s healthcare sector can set an example for the world to follow while ensuring a sustainable future for all.