Sustainable work in anaesthesiology and intensive care medicine

Abstract

The climate crisis is omnipresent and one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century. In the position paper "Ecological sustainability in anaesthesiology and intensive care medicine", the Professional Association of German Anesthesiologists (BDA) and the German Society for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) made specific recommendations which contribute to a consistent and sustainable reduction in CO₂ emissions. This article highlights the aspects of the position paper which the authors believe can be easily implemented in clinical practice and have a major effect on reducing CO₂ emissions. The recommendations focus on the topics of medication, medical products, waste management, mobility, energy management, research and teaching with practical examples and results from the Green Team (Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Bonn) and from the toolkit of the DGAI/BDA. Ways are shown to limit inhalation anesthetic-caused CO₂-emissions, to reduce drug waste, to change single-use for reusable materials and to develop sustainable waste concepts.