About Action Areas
Our priority action focuses on areas with demonstrated impact and implementation learning, highlighting opportunities to improve care pathways while reducing environmental harm and strengthening system enablers for lasting change.
To support action across these priority areas, we have developed and curated an array of resources designed to translate evidence into meaningful progress. Developed with partners and experts, our resources combine key sustainability opportunities, supporting evidence, real-world examples, and implementation tools.
While longstanding work exists across climate and health, our resources reflect areas where we have focused efforts to date. We also share other relevant materials where possible. The absence of resources in a particular area does not indicate that it is not a priority; rather, it may reflect strong leadership and resources already available elsewhere.
On this page:
Care pathways
Care pathways describe the structured sequence of clinical decisions, interventions, and models of care that shape how patients move through the health system; from prevention and diagnosis to treatment, follow-up, and ongoing management. Because they influence how healthcare resources are used, care pathways are an important determinant of both health outcomes and the environmental impact of care.
These resources focus on how care is delivered within and across care pathways, including prescribing practices, discipline-specific clinical care, and specialty areas. These resources address opportunities to improve quality and health outcomes while reducing environmental harm.
System enablers
System enablers focus on the structures, strategies, and processes that make sustainable, resilient, and high-quality health systems possible. It explores how organizations can embed sustainability practices, optimize operations, and use data-driven approaches to guide decision-making. Resources here highlight ways to influence costs, drive innovation, and strengthen the foundational systems that support safe, effective, and low-carbon healthcare delivery. If you are interested in understanding how to create the conditions for sustainable health system transformation, this is the place to explore.
Upcoming Events
SE-QI Toolkit and Spotlight National Launch: Making Sustainability Part of Everyday Quality Improvement
The Sustainability-Embedded Quality Improvement (SE-QI) Toolkit is a practical resource that brings environmental sustainability into the core of quality. Co-developed through a leading collaboration between Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), Interior Health (IH), Health Quality BC (HQBC), and CASCADES, the toolkit […]
Planetary Health & Sustainable Care ECHO
Cycle 5: Heat Preparedness for Health Care Providers and Organizations Across the country, Canadians are already experiencing the impacts of climate change, including higher temperatures. It is predicted that the frequency, severity, and duration of heat waves will continue to […]
Fundamentals of Sustainable Perioperative Care – Canadian Surgery Forum
In this half-day workshop, offered by CASCADES and The Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS), participants will gain knowledge, develop skills, and forge collaborations that will help them advocate for and participate in a bottom-up and top-down shift toward more environmentally […]