Writing in the January 2026 edition of DIA’s Global Forum, Samantha Holmes and Fiona Adshead of the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition argue that climate change is already reshaping healthcare and the medicines life cycle, while the pharma sector itself contributes materially to global emissions. Against this backdrop, the European Medicines Agency is positioning regulation as an enabler of sustainability rather than a barrier.
In the pursuit of a sustainable future, the healthcare sector faces the critical challenge of integrating environmental responsibility with its core mission of patient care and innovation. This challenge was a central theme of the first article in this series, Sustainable Healthcare: Balancing Patient Care and Environmental Impact, an exploration into how the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry is navigating this complex landscape.
This article focuses on the indispensable role of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in driving the sustainability agenda crucial for shaping regulatory readiness for a healthcare ecosystem that is both innovative and environmentally sound, outlined by EMA Head of Pharmaceutical Quality Veronika Jekerle and colleagues in the Environmental Sustainability DIAmond session at DIA Europe 2025.
The Challenge: Climate Change and the Medicine Life Cycle
Climate change is no longer a future threat; it is a present reality, changing the intricate healthcare ecosystem and global medicine life cycle. From altering disease patterns to impacting clinical trials, manufacturing, and ultimately patient access, the effects are pervasive and profound. A comprehensive Lancet Planetary Health report outlines how rising temperatures and extreme weather events are shifting the geographical distribution of infectious diseases, increasing respiratory illnesses, and exacerbating noncommunicable diseases, creating an urgent and evolving public health crisis. Simultaneously, the healthcare sector itself is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for an estimated 4.4% of worldwide emissions. The pharmaceutical industry, in particular, carries a heavy Scope 3 emissions burden, stemming from its complex global supply chains and energy-intensive manufacturing processes.
The European Commission (EC) has helped power the European Union’s (EU’s) proactive stance through sustainability initiatives like the European Green Deal and the substantial funding available via Horizon Europe. These policies are fostering a growing ecosystem of support for sustainable R&D and manufacturing, evidenced by pioneering projects like Eternal and Impactive. “Sustainable pharma production technologies are essential but complex,” explained Tomasz Dylag (EC). “They require systemic adaptation from early research through to regulation.” This underscores the monumental task at hand, requiring a cohesive, multifaceted approach.
