Health & Social Work

Health and social work activities in the EU Taxonomy address the critical intersection of climate change and public health. Healthcare facilities are both significant energy consumers and essential services that must remain operational during climate-related emergencies -- from heatwaves to flooding events.

The two eligible activities cover hospital and healthcare facility operations that meet stringent energy efficiency standards, and social care services that integrate climate resilience into their service delivery. Hospitals, in particular, face dual pressure: reducing their substantial energy consumption while ensuring continuity of care during extreme weather events.

Adaptation criteria are especially relevant for healthcare. Facilities must assess their vulnerability to heat stress (which directly affects patient outcomes and equipment reliability), flooding (which can disable critical systems), and power supply disruption. The Taxonomy requires healthcare operators to develop and implement adaptation plans that maintain service delivery under projected climate conditions, including backup power systems, passive cooling design, and emergency preparedness protocols.