Sustainability
During Euroanaesthesia 2023 in Glasgow, the ESAIC launched the Glasgow Declaration (EGD) on Sustainability in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, urging stakeholders to become 'environmental sustainability ambassadors.' The Declaration addresses the healthcare sector's significant greenhouse gas emissions and waste generation, with a focus on reducing the carbon footprint of anaesthesiology and intensive care. It emphasises selecting low-impact anaesthetics, improving energy efficiency, and adopting sustainable practices.
The Glasgow Declaration will guide European countries to incorporate into their healthcare plans, emphasising the need for multidisciplinary dialogue, adaptation to local contexts, and comprehensive training and communication with relevant personnel. By working together, the vision of enhanced sustainability in anaesthesiology and intensive care can be achieved for the benefit of patients, society, and the planet.
The ESAIC aims to lead the sector towards greener healthcare, aligned with the EU's climate goals for 2050.
Sustainability in anaesthesia is one of the major topics for the 21st century
Some of the anaesthetic and surgical practices have a negative impact on the environment
ESAIC has recognized the importance of building a sustainability future with the creation of a Sustainability Committee
Medication use
- Medicine choice
- Reducing medicine wastage
- Low-flow anaesthesia
- Limiting the use of F-gases and nitrous oxide
Energy use
- HVAC optimisation
- Lighting
- Electrical equipement sustainable
- Energy generation preventing
- Energy loss
Circularity in progress and waste
- Circularity in processes
- Medical devices
- Medicine waste management
- Reusable items
- Recycling
The Declaration is focused on four key areas where the greatest gains may be made in terms of environmental sustainability: anaesthetic gases, energy use, waste and supply chain, and transport.
Priority areas to improve environmental sustainability within anaesthesiology and intensive care (Not all the priorities listed in the figure are discussed in the Glasgow Declaration.
Dear Green Place at Euroanaesthesia 2024
At Euroanaesthesia 2023, ESAIC launched the "Dear Green Place" initiative, focusing on sustainability in anaesthesiology and intensive care. This project, named after Glasgow's nickname and in partnership with industry partners, showcased green innovations through themed islands at the conference.
Four islands addressed key sustainability areas: anaesthetic gases and drugs, waste and scavenging, energy efficiency, and building networks.
Industry partners contributed by presenting sustainable products and practices, aligning with ESAIC's goals of promoting eco-friendly healthcare and reducing the sector's environmental footprint.
Networking & beyond anaesthesia
- Building Networks and Changing Practice
- Opportunities for surgical and nursing products or whole hospital initiatives
Waste and scavenging
- Opportunities for reusable products, recycling, scavenging
Anaesthetic gases & drugs
- Opportunities for TIVA and related products like Depth of Anaesthesia monitoring
Circularity in progress and waste
- Life cycle analysis of medical devices
- Carbon footprint of new practices/technologies
- Comparison of carbon footprint of different health systems
- Development of « green » devices
Together
improved health outcomes, patient safety,
environmental sustainability
for
and greater
across anaesthesiology and intensive care.