Celebrating a decade of leadership: Aravind Eye Care System

We are proud to continue recognizing the Health Care Climate Challenge leading institutions, which have been transforming health care and climate action around the world since the launch of the Challenge ten years ago. Among them is Aravind Eye Care System in India—a beacon of innovation, equity, and sustainability.

For more than a decade, Aravind has demonstrated that delivering high-quality, equitable health care can go hand in hand with ambitious climate leadership. A long-standing member of the Health Care Climate Challenge and the Race to Zero, led by the UN Climate Change High Level Champions, Aravind has implemented impactful strategies across energy, water, and waste management, while expanding access to care.

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Aravind’s commitment to decarbonizing health care has earned it Gold Awards in Mitigation (Energy) and Renewable Energy in the 2022 Climate Challenge Awards. The institution has implemented a wide range of energy efficiency measures to reduce its carbon footprint, including an assisted telemedicine initiative, which was shared through Health Care Without Harm’s Climate Learning Initiative in 2023.

Beyond energy, Aravind is tackling some of the health sector’s most pressing environmental challenges:

• Water stewardship through decentralized wastewater recycling systems that conserve and reduce consumption.
• Waste reduction and resource recovery, improving management practices while generating revenue.
   

Their work was also featured in the Climate Impact Checkup online course, helping educate and inspire health care professionals globally on practical approaches to reducing emissions. Moreover, Aravind was featured in the 2024 Race to Zero Progress Report, showcasing their consistent progress and leadership in the global effort to align health care with climate goals. Its example proves that it is possible to achieve world-class clinical outcomes while championing sustainability.

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As we mark this milestone in the Health Care Climate Challenge, Aravind Eye Care System stands out as a model of integrated action, delivering health, equity, and climate benefits together.

Stay tuned as we continue to celebrate institutions like Aravind which are shaping the future of climate-smart health care.