Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) warmly congratulates the Victorian Government on its landmark commitment to power all public hospitals with 100% renewable electricity from 1 July this year, through the State Electricity Commission (SEC) initiative.

For more than a decade, DEA has called for hospitals and healthcare facilities to embrace all-electric, renewable-powered infrastructure as a cornerstone of sustainable, climate-resilient care. In 2023, DEA published the All-Electric Hospitals Guide to support health services, planners, and clinicians in advocating for the phase-out of gas and other fossil fuels from hospital energy systems.

“This is a proud moment for Victoria’s public healthcare system,” said Dr Ben Dunne, Chair of DEA’s Victorian Committee. “Transitioning hospitals to renewable electricity eliminates a major source of healthcare’s emissions. It’s a crucial step toward protecting both planetary and human health.”

Dr Cas Woinarski, Chair of DEA’s Sustainable Healthcare Special Interest Group, added: “By decarbonising hospital electricity, the Victorian Government has set the stage for the next phase of sustainable healthcare—reforming procurement, expanding hospital sustainability units, and embedding emissions metrics into performance and accreditation frameworks.”

Media contact

DEA Media and Communications Lead, Carmela Ferraro, 0410 703 074 [email protected]