In recent years, people all over the world have taken note of strange weather patterns. In fact, this year's Earth Day, which takes place on 22 April, follows the year with the highest global temperatures in more than 100 000 years, with heat records being broken in all continents the year prior (Romanello et al, 2023). The Lancet Countown—an independent research collaboration that monitors the global impact of climate change and the health opportunities of appropriate climate action—has recently released its annual report, now in its eighth iteration.
When I was growing up, the emphasis of climate change was on the damage being done to the planet. Unfortunately, we don't easily tend to draw the connection between our environment and how this impacts us. As a result, there have been years of relative inaction. However, more recent climate change negotations have focused more on the impacts of climate inaction on human health, with reports from Lancet Countown highlighting the increasing trend in heat-related deaths, as well as malnutrition and disease as a result of drought. There is also an economic cost of inaction both in terms of individual income losses and gross domestic product (GDP). Worse still, there is evidence of companies reducing their commitment to carbon dioxide (CO2) emission targets for the sake of profits (Romanello et al, 2023).
There are however opportunities as well. Not only do we have the health of our planet and our people at stake, but this situation can also be used to address the equities that still exist globally, with 775 million people still living without electricity, and close to a billion being served by healthcare facilities that do not possess reliable energy. The report highlights the access to decentralised clean energy that can be created through our global transition to renewable energy, and the reduction in energy poverty that can be achieved through a more energy-efficient approach.
In this month's issue of the Journal of Paramedic Practice, our Spotlight on Research is dedicated to research highlighting green initiatives that are currently under way. One aspect being explored is the use of pharmaceuticals that have a less detrimental effect on the environment, which is discussed on p. 139.
The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (2024) also runs an annual Green Team Competition, with impressive impacts being made, in terms of both carbon emission and cost savings, by various trusts across England. One scheme to reuse medicines, carried out in 2023 across eight wards on two sites of Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust, managed to cut more than 2000 kg of CO2 emissions in only 1 month. The team behind the project noted that if the scheme were rolled out across the entire trust, it would result in an annual savings of 79.6 tonnes of CO2 emissions and £234 292 (Clews, 2024).
With the NHS target to reduce carbon emissions by 2032, the strategy to meet such a challenge must be multifaceted and, while progress is afoot, all clinicians have a part to play.