Nature-based Solutions in Healthcare 1
Addressing Anthropocene Climate Change in the Healthcare Sector.
The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat—it is a lived reality, with profound implications for human health and the healthcare systems we depend on. We have entered the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch defined by human-driven changes to Earth’s systems. From record-breaking heat waves and wildfires to floods, biodiversity collapse, and rising rates of chronic disease, the evidence is clear: the healthcare sector must respond—not just as a victim of climate change, but as a vital part of the solution.
The Healthcare Sector's Paradox
Globally, healthcare systems are tasked with protecting and restoring health. Yet paradoxically, they are also significant contributors to environmental degradation. If the global healthcare sector were a country, it would be the fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. According to Eckelman and Sherman (2018), in the United States alone, healthcare accounts for nearly 8.5% of national carbon emissions. This includes emissions from energy use, medical supply chains, pharmaceuticals, and waste management.
This contradiction is not just unsustainable—it’s unethical. The climate crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable populations: the elderly, children, those with chronic illnesses, and communities already burdened by socioeconomic and racial inequities. As physicians, health professionals, and stewards of public well-being, we must align our actions with our core mission: to do no harm!
Understanding the Anthropocene in Health Context
The Anthropocene calls for a reframing of how we view environmental and human health. No longer can we separate planetary boundaries from healthcare delivery. Climate change now influences disease vectors, food and water security, mental health, respiratory illness, and the geographic spread of infectious diseases.
But beyond these physical impacts, the Anthropocene challenges us to rethink the foundations of healthcare itself. Can a healing profession remain silent or passive while the systems that sustain life are destabilized?
Nature-Based Solutions: A Healing Path Forward
One of the most promising and underutilized strategies to address climate change within healthcare is the integration of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). These are interventions that harness the power of natural ecosystems—such as forests, wetlands, green roofs, and regenerative agriculture—to mitigate climate impacts and enhance human health.
NbS can take many forms in healthcare:
Designing green hospital infrastructure that reduces energy use and improves indoor air quality.
Creating therapeutic gardens and access to green spaces for mental and physical healing.
Supporting community health hubs that promote environmental stewardship alongside preventive care.
Partnering with local farms and suppliers to reduce food miles and promote climate-resilient nutrition.
These are not luxuries; they are strategic investments that reduce disease burden, lower costs, and increase system resilience.
From Climate Anxiety to Climate Action
Healthcare professionals, particularly those in leadership, policy, and education roles, have a unique platform and responsibility to act. We must:
Advocate for climate-smart healthcare policies and sustainable procurement.
Integrate climate literacy into medical and public health education.
Model low-carbon clinical practices, including telehealth and responsible prescribing.
Join coalitions that push for climate justice, recognizing that environmental and health equity are inseparable.
The movement is already underway. Institutions like Health Care Without Harm, The Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Network, and the Planetary Health Alliance are leading transformative work. But we need more hands-on deck. The Anthropocene is not just an era of crisis—it is an era of moral and professional reckoning.
A Call to Collective Stewardship
The time for incremental change has passed. We must embrace bold, systemic solutions that heal both people and the planet. Healthcare’s role in this transformation is not optional—it is a social and ethical imperative.
Let us align our healing mission with the health of Earth itself.
