Oral Presentation ESA-SRB 2023 in conjunction with ENSA

Sustainability in Endocrinology: Net Zero Leads Program, NSLHD Planetary Health (#119)

Lyndal Tacon 1 2 3 , Connor Aitken 1 3 , Nicola Groskops 2
  1. Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Planetary Health, Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD), NSW Health, NSW, Australia
  3. Department of Endocrinology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Climate change is widely recognised as the most pressing global challenge of our time. In parallel, the rising prevalence of diabetes and obesity continues to massively impact human health1. The most direct link between climate change and an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes can be drawn between overconsumption and under-supply of food resulting from adverse growing conditions1-3.  Concurrently, increasing evidence indicates that individuals living with diabetes are directly impacted by climate change-induced events such as temperature extremes, which drive increased risk of hospitalizations and mortality4. Healthcare is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The Australian healthcare sector produces approximately 7% of the nation’s CO2 emissions; 70% of the healthcare contribution is from hospital activities, including 19% from pharmaceutical use5. Delivering environmentally sustainable health services is critical for all sectors. The novel Net Zero Clinical Leads Program, as part of the NSLHD Planetary Health Framework 2021-2023, offers clinicians the opportunity to embed sustainable practices in local healthcare.  Areas particularly relevant to Endocrinologists include reducing pharmaceutical waste, reducing single-use plastics, reducing low value care whilst utilising Telehealth to reduce transport related carbon emissions. The DISPENSE study (DISposable insulin PENS: Environmental concerns) has evaluated attitudes to insulin pen prescription with the goal of implementing an evidence-based program to drive environmentally sustainable practice.

  1. International Diabetes Federation Diabetes and Climate Change Report, June 2012, accessed via https://idf.org/our-activities/advocacy-awareness/resources-and-tools/144-diabetes-and-climate-change-report.html on 18Nov2022
  2. Swinburn BA, Kraak VI, Allender S, et al. The global syndemic of obesity, undernutrition, and climate change: the Lancet Commission report. The Lancet 2019; 393: 791-846
  3. Stewart PM, Mirmira RG, Kaiser UB, et al. Environmental pollution, climate change, and a critical role for the endocrinologist. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism; 2021; 106(12): 3381-3384
  4. Ospelt E, Hardison H, Mungmode A, et al. The Impact of Climate Change on People Living with Diabetes: A Scoping Review. Clinical Diabetology 2023; 12(3):186-200
  5. Malik A, Lenzen M, McAlister S, et al. The carbon footprint of Australian health care. Lancet Planetary Health 2018; 2: e27-e35