A target to shift NHS Scotland and its suppliers to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 will be challenging but achievable, according to Scotland’s minister for public finance.

Ivan McKee MSP said, in order to hit the targets, net-zero efforts need to be kept at the forefront of all policy decisions over the next two decades.

Speaking to attendees this morning at the Procurement 4 Health Scotland conference, Mr McKee said a “big issue we need to face up to” will be greener ways to heat buildings – including the use of heat pumps and solar.

The Scottish government has set an ambition for NHS Scotland to become a net-zero organisation by 2040 and for its supply chain to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.

Investment from industry in this area will be critical, Mr McKee explained, with estimated costs of decarbonising heat in buildings alone estimated to cost more than £33bn by 2045.

Mr McKee told conference attendees:

“The issue around about the investment on that is how you configure the financial engineering, so you've got a revenue stream so then it's attractive for private sector investors, to make it financially sustainable.”

Renewable electricity, the use of new technology, and expansion of electric vehicles will also be key to net-zero success, according to the minister.

Cutting down on both unnecessary plastic packaging and prescribing will also play their part.

Mr McKee said:

“There's a lot of moving parts in [net-zero]. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but we're absolutely focused on the challenge ahead and understanding what we need to do to bring everything into play to help meet that.”

Read more: Medics warn pollution is risking children's health; Chief medic: Innovate to tackle health & planet crises; NHS Scotland unveils plan to cut plastic packaging; Scotland first to ban planet-harming anaesthetic gas; Doctors call for action on air pollution; Government boosts health innovation funding

Sign up to our bulletin for key health & social care updates straight to your inbox.