Who We Are

The Healthy Energy Initiative is a global collaboration of health professionals, health organizations, and health researchers engaging in science-based advocacy for a move away from fossil fuel-based power generation—particularly coal—and toward clean, renewable, healthy energy options.

The Initiative is led by Health Care Without Harm and is comprised of a network of partners made up of health professionals, health organizations, and academic research institutions from around the world.

The Healthy Energy Initiative is driven by the growing scientific consensus that fossil fuel-based energy generation, particularly coal, has serious consequences for human health, locally and globally. We recognize that fossil fuel combustion is the greatest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, with coal being the most serious culprit. Fossil fuels are also a major contributor to air pollution, which killed more than 7 million people in 2012—double the toll from malaria, HIV/AIDs and tuberculosis combined.

A transition to a low carbon economy increasingly based on clean, renewable energy such as solar and wind will not only protect public health from climate change, it will also have immediate health benefits for large portions of the world’s population currently suffering from the impacts of air pollution.

The Healthy Energy Initiative is working toward this vision of a clean energy future through a series of approaches including supporting top-notch research on the health impacts of energy choices, developing educational materials for health professionals and the general public, promoting health sector divestment from coal, and advocating for energy policies at the local, national and global level that promote public health.

Global Coordination

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) provides global coordination for the Healthy Energy Initiative. Founded in 1996, HCWH (www.noharm.org) works to transform the health sector worldwide so that it becomes ecologically sustainable and a leading advocate for environmental health and justice across the globe.

HCWH works with health professionals, hospitals, health systems, architects, ministries of health, and international organizations. HCWH has regional offices in the U.S. (Washington DC and Boston), Latin America (Buenos Aires), Asia (Philippines) and Europe (Brussels). HCWH works with partner organizations in numerous countries including Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa and Tanzania. For more information see www.noharm.org

National and Regional Partners

The Healthy Energy Initiative has established a group of national partners in several countries, as well as in Europe. These organizations are working closely with local and national health organizations and academics to support healthy energy policies.