Those of us who work in healthcare are often confronted with how climate change affects human health. It is also important for us to recognize that healthcare makes up 18% of the US Economy and is responsible for about 8.5% of US greenhouse gas emissions. If healthcare in the US were our own country, we would be 13th in the world in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, there is a great deal of low hanging fruit in which we can emit less and generate more health with less harm to our patients and communities. 

I have been part of a working group with the American Thoracic Society on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from my corner of the healthcare world, which is pulmonary and critical care medicine. There are many in healthcare delivery around the world who are working hard to tackle the climate crisis. We don’t need to wait for governments or politicians to take the lead, though it would be nice if they did. We can make healthier choices now. 

Practice Greenhealth- http://practicegreenhealth.org/

Healthcare without Harm- https://noharm.org/

Furie, Greg- coordinator – Mass General Brigham– Working group on inhalers

• “Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Inhalers” document for healthcare system
• Shared with Dr Furie’s permission

I have had the honor of working with interested groups in the American College of Chest Physicians on this topic, and what follows are compiled resources from sessions on climate and health. I will continue to update and edit as able. 

Resources from Chest 2025 – Climate & Health session– courtesy or Dr Hari Shankar and Dr Stephanie Maximous

Climate and Health Resources to Keep Learning & Acting

• Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/ 
• Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (curriculum resources): https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/research/programs/global-consortium-climate-health-education 
• Physician Network – Health Care Without Harm: https://us.noharm.org/initiatives/climate-smart-collective/physician-network 
• EcoAmerica Climate Ambassador Training (free) 

Ambassadors Training – Climate for Health

ClimateRx: https://www.climaterx.org/ 

• • University of Colorado Diploma in Climate Medicine: https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/climateandhealth
  • NEJM interactive module on the Climate Crisis – Health and Care delivery: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmp1906035 

• NAM Grand Challenge on Climate and Health

• Climate and Health – NAM
• Climate and Health Information Gateway

• American Hospital Association

Community Health and Environment Resources

• AAMC Climate Action and Sustainability in Academic Medicine

https://www.aamc.org/about-us/mission-areas/medical-education/climate-action-sustainability-academic-medicine

• Joint Commission Sustainable Healthcare Certification

https://www.jointcommission.org/en-us/certification/sustainable-healthcare

• Illinois Clinicians for Climate Action Join Us | IL Climate & Health

**For those living outside Illinois, check out Medical Society Consortium (above)  to find your state branch**

Sources and additional media

1. Climate change for the pulmonologist: A focused Review

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012369223005056#:~:text=1%2C2,air%20pollution%20and%20inclement%20weather

1. Inhaler-Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the US – A Serial Cross-Sectional Analysis: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2839471
2. NAM: Key Actions for Health Professionals to Advance Sustainable Healthcare

Implementing a Sustainability Framework in Healthcare: A Three-Lens Framework:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10340760/

1. The Donut of Economic and Planetary Boundaries: What is the Doughnut? | DEAL
2. Choosing Wisely and Climate Action: https://choosingwiselycanada.org/climate/
3. Cool Food Pledge:  https://coolfood.org/pledge

ANZICS sustainability guide https://anzics.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/A-beginners-guide-to-Sustainability-in-the-ICU.pdf

Health Affairs: Climate Resilience Guide

• Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change 

https://www.ahrq.gov/news/newsletters/e-newsletter/832.html

This publication of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality was released in 2022 and is a resource guide to help health care organizations reduce their carbon footprint and protect communities from climate threats. 

• The Path to Carbon Neutral: A Guide to Building a Climate-Smart Health Care System

https://practicegreenhealth.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/kaiser-permanente-path-to-carbon-neutral-guide_20200923.pdf

This resource presents a case study of Kaiser Permanente, which was the first health system in the United States to achieve carbon-neutral status. Kaiser Permanente has eliminated or offset its 800,000-ton annual carbon footprint, the equivalent of taking 175,000 cars off the road.

• Climate Action: A Playbook for Hospitals

https://climatecouncil.noharm.org/

This is a resource to help hospitals and health systems reduce their carbon footprint and implement health care delivery systems with low carbon emissions, to prepare facilities for climate change and build resilience against climate change, and to use their purchasing power to transition to a low-carbon economy. This resource includes many case studies of academic medical centers. 

• Better Buildings Healthcare Sector 

https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/sectors/healthcare

This U.S. Department of Energy initiative provides toolkits, case

studies, financing options, and implementation models that health care organizations may use to reduce their energy costs, reduce their carbon emissions, and improve the environment of health care.

ICU One Pagers: sustainability