The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has published its carbon reduction guidelines for health researchers. The guidelines are designed to help the NHS meet its first target, set out in its 2009 Carbon Reduction Strategy for the NHS in England, of reducing its 2007 carbon footprint by 10% by 2015.
The guidance provides a framework which identifies areas where sensible research design can reduce waste without adversely impacting on the validity and reliability of research. They were informed by a carbon footprint study of RCTs, published last year in the BMJ.
[Photo by José Eugenio Gómez Rodríguez]
The Campaign for Greener Healthcare has welcomed the guidelines as going beyond energy use and staff commuting to consider methodological aspects such as making full use of existing evidence when shaping a research question, and collecting outcomes remotely - by phone, mail or the internet -wherever possible. Importantly, researchers are also encouraged to "consider assessing the environmental impact of proposed interventions or changes in service provision". This information will be critical to service planning and purchasing decisions in a sustainable NHS.
Professor Dame Sally C. Davies, Director General of Research and Development at the Department of Health said: “Research is a core part of the NHS so the NIHR has a key role in reducing the carbon emissions from research. It is important that we continue to support excellence and act responsibly towards the environment.”
The new NIHR standard application form will ask researchers to confirm that they have read the guidelines and followed the recommendations where possible.
The guidelines are available, along with a webcast and a set of Frequently Asked Questions from the NIHR website.
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