[Climate crisis and carbon-neutral anesthesia]

Abstract

In the context of climate crisis, health care systems need to reduce their own carbon footprint. An accumulating amount of data shows how anesthesia can drastically reduce direct emissions of powerful greenhouse gases (GHG), like inhaled volatile anesthetics and nitrous oxyde (N2O). This synthesis exposes why anesthesia is a carbon hotspot and how practical strategies can reduce direct GHG emissions without compromising quality of care.