Our Carbon Footprint

In this article, our educators discuss how are anaesthetic choices impact the carbon footprint we leave behind

Total emission of GHG caused directly and indirectly by a person, organisation, event or product
Measured in terms of tonnes of CO₂
5% of the carbon footprint for acute organisations of the NHS is from anaesthetic gases
Anaesthetic ecological stewardship is important as the peri-operative period is a major contributor to carbon footprint -Procurement of pharmaceutical and medical equipment
The World Health Organization estimates climate-related mortality at 0.3% of all annual deaths (150,000/year)
Shared responsibility to enhance the sustainability of modern-day practice without compromising
- Patient safety
- Clinical efficacy
Ecological cost to society can be lowered without an increase in operational costs
Measuring, monitoring and reporting the carbon footprint related to anaesthesia are key in reducing emissions