Pandeminin Sağlık Kurumlarının Karbon Ayak İzi Üzerindeki Etkisi: Bir Vaka Çalışması

Abstract

Sağlık kurumları, enerji tüketimi, malzeme kullanımı ve atık üretimi nedeniyle küresel sera gazı (GHG) emisyonlarına önemli ölçüde katkıda bulunmaktadır. COVID-19 pandemisi, hasta ziyaretleri, tıbbi prosedürler ve kaynak tüketimindeki değişiklikler yoluyla hastane faaliyetlerini değiştirmiş ve karbon ayak izlerini etkilemiştir. Bu çalışma, İstanbul’daki biri 85 yataklı, diğeri 95 yataklı iki üniversite hastanesinin 2018-2022 yılları arasındaki sera gazı emisyonlarını incelemektedir. Emisyonlar, doğrudan (Kategori 1), enerji dolaylı (Kategori 2) ve diğer dolaylı (Kategori 3 ve 4) olarak ISO 14064-1, IPCC ve GHG Protokolü standartlarına göre sınıflandırılmıştır. Sonuçlar, en yüksek hasta başına emisyonların 2020 yılında (27,8 ve 23,9 kgCO₂e/kişi) görüldüğünü ve bu dönemin pandeminin en yoğun yaşandığı zaman dilimi olduğunu göstermektedir. 2022 yılına gelindiğinde, hasta sayısının neredeyse iki katına çıkmasıyla birlikte kişi başına emisyonlarda %36’ya varan bir azalma tespit edilmiştir. Pandemi döneminde tek kullanımlık tıbbi malzemelerin ve atık üretiminin artması nedeniyle dolaylı emisyonlarda önemli bir yükseliş gözlemlenmiştir. Bu bulgular, pandeminin hastane karbon ayak izi üzerindeki çift yönlü etkisini ortaya koymakta ve sürdürülebilir sağlık hizmetleri stratejilerinin önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

• iklim değişikliği
• sera gazı emisyonları
• sağlık sektörü karbon ayakizi
• pandemi etkisi

The Effect of the Pandemic on the Carbon Footprint of Health Care Institutions: A Case Study

Abstract

Healthcare institutions contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to their energy consumption, material use, and waste generation. The COVID-19 pandemic altered hospital activities, affecting their carbon footprint through changes in patient visits, medical procedures, and resource consumption. This study examines the GHG emissions of two university hospitals in Istanbul, one with 85 beds and another with 95 beds, between the years of 2018 and 2022. Emissions were categorized as direct (Category 1), energy indirect (Category 2), and other indirect (Categories 3 and 4), following ISO 14064-1, IPCC, and GHG Protocol standards. Results indicate that the highest emissions per patient occurred in 2020 (10.6 and 8.2 kgCO2e/person) when the pandemic was at its peak. By 2022, with a nearly twofold increase in patient numbers, per capita emissions decreased by up to 36%. Indirect emissions surged in 2020 due to increased use of single-use medical materials and waste production. These findings highlight the pandemic’s dual impact on hospital carbon footprints and emphasize the need for sustainable healthcare strategies.

Keywords

• Climate change
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Healthcare sector carbon footprint
• Pandemic impact.

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