University of Liverpool Drives Key Projects to Decarbonise Healthcare and Support NHS Sustainability

(IN BRIEF) The University of Liverpool is leading two critical projects focused on decarbonising healthcare. The Greener Trials project, led by Professor Paula Williamson, aims to reduce the carbon footprint of clinical trials through an open science approach, collaborating with multiple national and international partners. Funded by Wellcome, the project will create a free online carbon calculator to support data-driven strategies for decarbonisation. Additionally, the University is involved in a new UK-wide hub, led by the University of Exeter, to help the NHS reduce its carbon footprint and meet its net-zero obligations by 2045. Both initiatives highlight the University’s commitment to advancing sustainable healthcare solutions.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 3-Mar-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of Liverpool is at the forefront of two groundbreaking initiatives aimed at decarbonising healthcare in the UK and beyond. The first, the Greener Trials project, is being spearheaded by Professor Paula Williamson and is designed to reduce the carbon footprint of clinical trials. This project involves collaboration with notable partners such as the Institute of Cancer Research, the University of Aberdeen, NHS England, the South African Medical Research Council, and the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition, alongside public and patient research partners.

Funded by Wellcome, Greener Trials adopts an open science approach to digitise the guidance needed for assessing the carbon footprint of publicly funded trials. This initiative aims to collect data quickly, identify areas of concern, address gaps in existing decarbonisation methods, and promote behaviour change across the clinical trials sector. A key deliverable will be the launch of a free, open-access online carbon calculator designed to complement similar tools being developed by the pharmaceutical industry. The project will also support active communities of practice and share evidence-based strategies for reducing carbon emissions.

Professor Williamson commented on the importance of this initiative: “Healthcare accounts for about 4-5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with clinical trials being a contributor. While steps are being taken to decarbonise healthcare, clinical trials must be included as they are integral to routine healthcare. We are excited to receive this funding and take meaningful steps towards a more sustainable future.”

In addition, Professor Williamson and her team will play a key role in another significant project, the creation of the ‘UK Hub for One Health Systems: Creating Sustainable Health and Social Care Pathways,’ a new initiative led by the University of Exeter. With £6.5 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), this UK-wide hub aims to assist the NHS in drastically reducing its carbon footprint. The NHS is already on track for an 80% reduction in emissions by 2030 for areas under its direct control. However, the challenge remains with emissions from travel, waste, and the supply chain, including the production of drugs, medical devices, and hospital supplies.

Ed Wilson, Director of the Hub and Professor of Health Economics and Health Policy at the University of Exeter, stated: “This funding reflects our strong partnership with the NHS and our commitment to a greener, fairer society. Our focus will be on identifying carbon hotspots throughout the NHS and social care pathways and taking steps to make them carbon neutral, from reducing waste to helping suppliers redesign their processes for lower carbon emissions.”

The project will involve collaboration with numerous universities and healthcare organisations across the UK, including the University of Liverpool, Queen’s University Belfast, Glasgow Caledonian University, and the Institute of Cancer Research, London, among others. It is part of the wider initiative to help the NHS meet its legal obligation to achieve net zero by 2045.

Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, expressed the University’s pride in these pioneering projects: “The University of Liverpool is proud to support the Greener Trials initiative and the broader efforts led by Professor Williamson in making clinical research more sustainable. Our long-standing commitment to innovation in clinical trials, combined with our focus on addressing the climate crisis, makes this partnership a crucial step in delivering a sustainable future for healthcare.”

Media Contacts:

Joanne Carr
Deputy Director of Communications and Public Affairs
T: +44 (0)7825 434900
E: jocarr@liverpool.ac.uk

Catrin Owen
Media Relations Manager – Humanities and Social Sciences
T: +44 (0)7721 834238
E: catrin.owen@liverpool.ac.uk

Sarah Stamper
Media Relations Manager – Science and Engineering
T: +44 (0)7970 247396
E: sarah.stamper@liverpool.ac.uk

Jennifer Morgan
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0)7775 547589
E: J.L.Morgan@liverpool.ac.uk

Alison Cornmell
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0) 7771 700680
E: Alison.Cornmell@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool