A pilot project to address these challenges
To provide concrete responses to these issues, the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine is launching the PERFoRMed project (Project for the Evaluation and Reduction of the Environmental Footprint in Medical Education and Research).
Over the course of 2025, this pilot project aims to:
Promote an environmentally responsible culture within the Faculty;
Estimate the overall environmental impact of the University Medical Centre (CMU);
Support the transition towards environmentally responsible practices in laboratories;
Strengthen the integration of sustainability into educational curricula;
Ultimately propose an environmental sustainability strategy for the Faculty of Medicine.
Why take action?
Address the concerns and expectations of scientists who wish to improve the environmental impact of their activities.
Protect the health of current and future generations
Climate change and ecosystem degradation have direct repercussions on human health (respiratory illnesses, emerging infectious risks, heat stress, etc.). Students are already involved in this area, for example through brochures dedicated to planetary health.
Reduce the impact of the medical sector
Healthcare facilities can represent a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions (energy, mobility, procurement, etc.) and thus contribute to climate change.
Set an example and innovate within UNIGE
As a research and teaching institution, the Faculty of Medicine plays a key role in training future healthcare professionals and developing concrete solutions.
A open, collaborative project
The success of PERFoRMed depends on the participation of the entire Faculty community:
Students, the future relays of planetary health;
Teachers, who train and support the next generation of doctors;
Research and technical teams, whose laboratories represent a significant share of resource consumption;
Administrative and logistical departments, ensuring more eco-responsible day-to-day anagement.
Three main focus areas
1. The Faculty's environmental footprint
Discover the key points of the assessment of resources consumed (energy, water, mobility, etc.) and the identification of priority emission sources.
2. Sustainability in laboratories
Understand the specificities of research, where consumption of energy, water, and single-use plastics can be substantial (see the article in Nature)
3. Integrating sustainability into education
Explore how the Faculty plans to enrich medical education with concepts related to planetary health.