About the Healthy Energy Initiative

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 around the world that coordinate strategic campaigns in key countries and regions. See the Countries section for more information.

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.