Socially responsible green transition: strengthening governance solutions to empower Homo Climaticus in the healthcare sector (GreenCare)

The project will identify the perception of healthcare providers and healthcare receivers of the reforms undertaken in the health sector under the EGD, as well as their positive and negative experiences with solutions introduced or implemented in the healthcare sector to ensure that the objectives of the EGD are met.

Through a co-creation design, recommendations to policy makers for ensuring a socially responsible green transition in the healthcare sector will be elaborated, and a road-map for a pilot project for further implementation will be provided. The project is based on a mixed research design. By analysis of scientific literature and documents, and conducting a public opinion survey, semi-structured interviews and focus groups, the research team will identify key inequalities created or facilitated by green transition in the health care, and investigate perceptions and experiences with reforms with primary focus on hospitals. For that, case studies in four hospitals will be carried out. Recommendations for the socially responsible green transition in the healthcare will be developed, involving all stakeholders in the co-creation process.

Outcomes to be achieved

The results of the study will be reflected in high-impact academic journals indexed in Web of Science or Scopus (n=3) as well as in international scientific conferences (n=3). An interdisciplinary network of researchers and professionals will be established to elaborate the recommendations for the governance solutions n the health care sector. The results of the study will be used to elaborate a future grant application (n=1). Master students will be involved in the research process elaborating and defending their master theses (n=2).

Project Team

• Zanda Gailume-Zohara
• Toms Rātfelders
• Lelde Klaipa

Activities

Publications

• Veilande, O., Sileniece, L., & Atstāja, D. (2024). Challenges In The Implementation Of The Socially Responsible Green Transition In The Healthcare Sector Of Latvia. In The 17th Annual Scientific Baltic Business Management Conference : Leading Transformations Towards Sustainability: Headwinds and Tailwinds. 28– 30 May 2024 : conference proceedings (pp. 40-45). RISEBA University of Applied Sciences and BA School of Business and Finance
• Veilande, O. 2025. Klimatam draudzīga slimnīca: ieguvumi pacientiem un valstij. Skaidro RSU doktorante. Delfi.lv (18.02.2025.)
• Lūse, A. 2024. Review on the book Ilgtspējas meklējumi Arābijas tuksnesī. Tirgus un naftas antropoloģija, Cimdiņa, A., Akadēmiskā Dzīve, 60
• Zariņš, K., Siders, E. G. 2024. "Some Critical Remarks on the Principles of social Responsibility in Healthcare: the interconnection between legal research and international law". International Comparative Jurisprudence. 10 (1), 82 – 93,
• Zariņš, K., Siders, E. G. 2024. "Medicīnas personāls kā sociāli atbildīgas zaļās pārejas atslēga veselības aprūpes nozarē." Sabiedrība. Integrācija. Izglītība = Society. Integration. Education: starptautiskās zinātniskās konferences materiāli = proceedings of the international scientific conference. Danilāne, L., Strode, A., Laganovska, K., Kaupužs, A. eds. Rēzekne: Rēzeknes Tehnoloģiju akadēmija, 2, 298 – 309,
• Zariņš, K., Siders, E. G. 2024. "Homo Climaticus vs. Homo Religiosus: The Interplay of Archetypes". Religions, 15(10), 1208,
• Zariņš, K., Siders, E. G. 2024. "Homo Climaticus vs. Homo Religiosus: arhetipu savstarpējā mijiedarbība". Reliģiski-Filozofiski Raksti

Conferences

• Bite, D., & Veilande, O., Lūse, A., Gailume - Zohara Z. (2025). Sustainable Strategies for Rural Hospitals. 608-608. Poster session presented at 30th European Society for Rural Sociology Congress, Riga, Latvia.
• Veilande, O. 2025. Social Factors in the Sustainability Model of the Healthcare Sector. 83rd ISC of the University of Latvia 2025. Book of Abstracts. Section "Circular economy: integrated governance approaches promoting resource and social sustainability" (21.03.2025.)
• Gailume-Zohara, Z., Kleinberga, V., Lūse, A., Bite, D. 2025. ‘Green, healthy, and fair’: Exploring possibilities for socially responsible green transition in Latvia's healthcare sector. The 16th Conference on Baltic Studies in Europe (CBSE) “Converging Paths: The Baltic Between East and West”, University of Cambridge (24.04.2025.)
• PLACES. The 4th International Interdisciplinary Conference FREEDOM AND/OR SECURITY? 2025. Convening and presenting at section Green Transition to Empower “Homo Climaticus” (28.03.2025.)
• Organised conference within European Sustainable Development Week Enhance the awareness and acceptance of Industrial Symbiosis. Conference intended for furthering cooperation between industry and producers to implement the goals of the European Green Deal. (03.10.2024.)
• Bite, D. 2024. Potential of the nature-based solutions in the governance of the healthcare sector. Nature-Based Governance: Coevolutionary and transformative perspectives on the biodiversity and climate crises
• Atstāja, Dz., Veilande, O. 2024. Challenges in the Implementation of the Socially Responsible Green Transition in the Healthcare Sector of Latvia. The 17th Annual Scientific Baltic Business Management Conference “Leading Transformations Towards Sustainability: Headwinds and Tailwinds”.
• Sileniece, L., Atstāja, Dz. 2024. Green Business Transition and Negotiation Complexity: A Literature Review. International Scientific Conference “Emerging Trends in Economics, Culture and Humanities (etECH2024)”

Meetings with industry representatives

• Meeting with the Ministry of Health’s Head of Corporations and Investment department Ieva Kušķe and Communication advisor to the Minister of Health Ilona Oša - how the requirements of the European Green Deal reflect on the agenda of the Ministry and its subordinate institutions?  (8.03.2024.)
• Participation in Ministry of Health’s project workshop at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences. Goal of the workshop – furthering development of interdisciplinary research and innovation in the healthcare sector.
• Meeting with a representative of the psychoneurological hospital Strenči. (5.04.2024.) https://www.rsu.lv/aktualitates/valmiera-norisinajas-veseli…
• Visit to the psychoneurological hospital Strenči to get acquainted with the organization’s implementation of the European Green Deal. Seminar “Implementation of European Green Transition in healthcare facilities” - researchers familiarized the hospital administration representatives with the goals and tasks of the project, as well as gained knowledge about sustainability measures already implemented at Strenči. (7.10.2024.) https://www.strencupns.lv/zinasanu-parnese-ilgtspejas-jauta…

Social activities

• Policy roundtable discussion "Zaļais mantojums. Klimata pārmaiņu ietekme uz nemateriālo kultūras mantojumu" (6.–7.03.2025)”
• Moderation of the event organised by National Library of Latvia in cooperation with The Latvian Association of Anthropologists – lecture by Agnese Cimdiņa “Nafta. Ilgtspēja. Antropoloģija”. (30.01.2024.)