The pharmaceutical industry is committed to the development, manufacture and provision of medicines globally, a process that inevitably impacts the climate through greenhouse gases (GHG).
To mitigate this, the industry is actively working to reduce its GHG emissions, with research showing that 19 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies have pledged to lessen their climate impact between 2025 and 2050.
But in a rapidly changing industry faced with evolving regulations, escalating global public health threats, geo-political tensions and increasing sustainability demands, the challenge remains: how can the industry prioritise the most critical issues while integrating environmental management into its core responsibilities?
Current climate impact
The pharmaceutical industry’s impact on climate change is multifaceted and profound. The manufacturing processes for pharmaceuticals are energy-intensive, requiring substantial electricity and fossil fuels, which contribute significantly to GHG emissions. The healthcare sector alone accounts for 5% of all GHG emissions, double that of the aviation industry.
Additionally, the transportation and distribution of medicines, often requiring temperature-controlled environments, further exacerbates the carbon footprint. These factors collectively position the pharmaceutical industry as a notable contributor to global GHG emissions.
Climate change is not just an abstract environmental issue, it has tangible and immediate public health implications.
Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns have enhanced the spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. Without preventative action, the death toll from these diseases, currently around 700,000 annually, could rise dramatically. The pharmaceutical industry, therefore, has a dual responsibility to mitigate its own environmental impact and to address the health challenges exacerbated by climate change.
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