Hospitals and health companies vow to reach Biden’s goal to cut emissions. See who took the pledge.

Hospitals and healthcare companies have faced growing criticism over their environmental impact, and dozens of organizations are pledging to do better.

The White House said Thursday that 61 hospitals and healthcare companies, including some of the country’s largest, have vowed to reduce emissions. Specifically, they pledged to reach the Biden administration’s call for healthcare organizations to cut emissions by 50% by 2030.

The Biden administration said the commitments from the health systems represent over 650 hospitals and thousands of providers.

The announcement came on the same day the Supreme Court issued an opinion limiting the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate emissions from power plants. Some critics say that the ruling will hurt public health and could also limit the government’s ability to regulate healthcare and other areas.

At the same time, environmental advocates have chastised the healthcare industry for its failure to do more to reduce pollutants and waste.

• Related story: How the healthcare industry can do more to help the environment

The healthcare industry accounts for 8.5% of America’s greenhouse gas emissions, federal officials said.

President Biden’s administration touted some of the larger hospital systems that made the commitment. They include NYC Health + Hospitals, the nation's largest public health system, and two of America’s five largest private healthcare systems: Ascension and CommonSpirit Health.

And the White House singled out Pfizer and AstraZeneca, two of the country’s largest pharmaceutical companies, for working to get to net-zero emissions before 2050.

• Related story: Why healthcare organizations should emulate Coca-Cola in sustainability reporting

The Biden administration also announced other steps Thursday to help the health industry reduce emissions and do better for the environment.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is launching a webinar series on reducing environmental impact and tracking emissions in the supply chain. The Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal health agencies are forming a coalition to share best practices in reducing emissions.

• Related story: Sustainable procurement: Improving environmental health through the supply chain

The Agency for Health Care Research Quality also will offer resources to measure emissions of health facilities and to move to “greener models of care delivery,” the White House said.

The Biden administration has been working to prod the healthcare industry to improve its environmental practices. Rachel Levine, U.S. assistant secretary of health, said last fall that the administration wanted the healthcare industry to do better.

Lawmakers are also giving the health sector more scrutiny on their environmental impact. Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, sent a letter to some larger hospital and healthcare systems asking them what they are doing to address climate change.

Here’s the list of the hospitals, healthcare companies, and trade groups that have committed to cut emissions in half by 2030, according to a fact sheet from the White House.

Hospitals and other providers

Providence Health, HealthPartners, Kedren Health, CommonSpirit Health, University Medical Center of El Paso, NYC Health + Hospitals, Boston Medical Center, Baystate Health, Stanford Children’s Health, Stanford Health Care, Atrium Health, Cherokee Health Systems, University of California Health, Northwell Health, Rush University System for Health, Northern Arizona Healthcare, Hackensack Meridian Health, UW Medicine, RWJBarnabas Health, Sun River Health, NYU Langone Health, Ascension, Henry Ford Health, Mass General Brigham, Boston Children’s Hospital, Tufts Medicine, Southcoast Health, Children’s National Hospital, Mount Sinai Health System, Kaiser Permanente, Keck Medicine of USC, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Montefiore, Seattle Children’s, Valley Children’s Healthcare, University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine, Advocate Aurora Health, Gillette Children’s, University of Utah Health, Steward Health Care System, DaVita

Associations and non-profit groups

The National Academy of Medicine, Association of American Medical Colleges, the Joint Commission, Health Care Without Harm, American College of Physicians (NJ), Kimball Sustainable Healthcare, Mazzetti

Industry and corporations

Philips, AstraZeneca, Owens & Minor, NewGen Surgical, Chiesi Group, Pfizer, AmerisourceBergen, Excellus Health, Blue Shield of California, Vizient, Aspirus, Anthem, WCM Waste and Compliance Management