Healthcare Quarterly, 19(3) October 2016: 17-22.doi:10.12927/hcq.2016.24870
Special Focus On Global Climate Change
Healthcare in the Anthropocene: Challenges and Opportunities
Abstract
We are entering the Anthropocene. So large is our impact on the planet that Earth scientists suggest our presence will show up in the geologic record far into the future. The global ecological changes we are creating pose a threat to health not only from climate change but from pollution and ecotoxicity, ocean acidification, resource depletion and the loss of biodiversity that threatens a sixth "Great Extinction." These health threats will impose an added burden on the healthcare system, while the ecological changes will force it to adapt to the new realities.
The healthcare system contributes to these changes. It is an energy and resource-intensive part of society that also produces large volumes of solid and liquid wastes and air pollutants, some of them quite toxic; the system has a large ecological footprint; yet, at the same time, the system has an ethical duty to do no harm, and thus should be a leader in the transition to a more ecologically sustainable and healthier future.
This article is for subscribers only.
To view the entire article, sign in if you are a subscriber. Or select one of the options below.
Personal Subscriber? Sign In
Please note: To register for an event you must sign-in as an individual or create a personal Longwood's account. Thank you.
Comments
Be the first to comment on this!
You must sign in to comment Sign In or Create an Account to add comments
Related Content
Healthcare Quarterly
St. Michael’s Improvement Program – A Collaborative Approach to Sustainable Cost Savings
Nursing Leadership
Developing and Sustaining Nursing Leadership for Healthy Work Environments
Healthcare Quarterly