Estimating the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of Australian ambulance services

Abstract

Emergency medical services, or ‘ambulance services’, are a vehicle-intense component of the health sector that could contribute to that sector's emissions reduction efforts. This analysis uses data from an inventory of ambulance service Scope 1 (arising from direct energy consumption) and Scope 2 (arising from purchased energy consumption) emissions, along with publicly available expenditure data and emissions multipliers derived from economy-wide input–output tables, to estimate the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of Australian ambulance services. Total emissions are estimated at between 216,369 and 546,688 t CO2e annually, and represent between 1.8% and 4.4% of total Australian health sector emissions. Approximately 20% of ambulance service emissions arise from direct consumption of vehicle fuels (diesel and petrol) and aircraft fuels, with 22% arising from electricity consumption, and 58% arising from Scope 3 (e.g., supply chain; waste disposal) processes. Incorporating alternative fuels and higher efficiency vehicles into Australian ambulance services' vehicle fleets could reduce their direct greenhouse emissions, but broader efforts targeting reduced electricity consumption, greener electricity generation, and environmentally friendly purchasing practices will be required to substantially reduce their total carbon footprint.