2024, Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part A

According to the World Health Organization, the change in climate stands as the foremost health risk confronting humanity. In addition to endanger the accessibility of clean drinking water and clean air, it also entails the capability to negate centuries of progress in public health and advancement. Given the urgency of the circumstance, enlightened media sources have incorporated the phrase ‘climate crisis’ to underscore the existential risk posed by this critical issue.

The provision of healthcare services needs significant resources. The acute healthcare system is identified as the sector with the second-highest carbon intensity, following closely behind food service setups. It entails the consumption of considerable resources, encompassing disposable items and medical apparatus, necessitating substantial energy input for their manufacture. Healthcare operations independently responsible for 8% of United States-based Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Particularly, surgical theatres used 3 to 6 times the energy than the entirety of hospitals.

The administration of anaesthesia acts a significant component in climate change, attributed not only to the pharmaceuticals used, but also the significant amount of waste generated in our professional environment daily. As healthcare practitioners, we are dedicated to the principle of prioritizing the safety and health of patients; yet, by producing excessive waste in our clinical endeavours, we have inadvertently influenced the overall health of the public. Estimates recommend that life-cycle Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions associated with the healthcare and medical in the US will result in up to 381,000 extra disability-adjusted lifespan yearly.

In our roles as anaesthesiologists, we are entrusted with welfare and safety of the patients; similarly, we also carry ethical commitments towards environmental preservation, as it impacts the well-being of the general public. It is fundamental to highlight that climate emergency is not limited to “safeguarding the earth” but rather capability for healthy human cohabitation.