Abstract
The health sector, whose mandate is to prevent and cure disease, makes a significant contribution to the global climate crisis. If the global health sector were a country, it would be the fifth-largest greenhouse gas emitter on the planet.
Health systems generate significant environmental impacts both at the up and downstream. These range from service delivery to the natural resources and products health systems procure and consume, to the waste they generate. This, in turn, contributes to climate change, chemical contamination, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, air and water pollution.
So as health professionals, given we contribute to the problem we should also be part of the solution.
Health systems generate significant environmental impacts both at the up and downstream. These range from service delivery to the natural resources and products health systems procure and consume, to the waste they generate. This, in turn, contributes to climate change, chemical contamination, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, air and water pollution.
So as health professionals, given we contribute to the problem we should also be part of the solution.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Specialist publication | HealthWork: Allied Health Insights |
| Publication status | Published - 2022 |