What can anaesthetists do to help combat the global climate emergency?

Abstract

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its sixth assessment report in 2021 [1]. The report offers a stark and alarming warning that our climate is changing at an unprecedented rate due to human activity.

‘Cracking’ the environmental problem of nitrous oxide in obstetrics

“…In terms of the language used to inform women about the environmental impact of different modes of labour analgesia, an emphasis on shared responsibility between clinicians and patients (‘our responsibility’) would help ensure a non‐judgemental stance. This shared responsibility emphasises that when delivering healthcare and upholding environmental sustainability principles, clinicians have a personal responsibility both to current patients and the broader population [29]. In another recent survey of postnatal patients at a UK hospital, 90% of respondents stated that they found information about the environmental aspects of labour analgesia alarming, and 76% reported that it would influence future choices [30].…”