The Climate Emergency is a Health Emergency

At the February 2024 meeting of the IPS Management Executive, the decision was taken for the IPS to declare that the climate emergency is a health emergency.

Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity⁽¹⁾. It is intensifying existing health threats (including infections from vector-borne diseases and water-borne diarrhoeal infections) and will cause new health threats to emerge ⁽²⁾. Climate change is primarily being driven by rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere caused by the burning of fossil fuels⁽³⁾, with 2023 being the hottest year on record and level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere being the highest for at least 800,000 years. The health sector accounts for almost 5% of global emissions⁽⁴⁾ and efforts to reduce that need the expertise, support and engagement of IPC practitioners. As a group representing those IPC practitioners, we recognise our responsibility to act and to advocate for change in order to protect both our planet and patients. For these reasons, the Infection Prevention Society joins a growing number of healthcare organisations⁽⁵⁾ in declaring a climate and health emergency.

Actions the IPS has taken on sustainability so far include

• In January 2023 we launched our Sustainability Special Interest Group, which now has well over 300 members from the UK, ROI and beyond.
• In September 2023 we hosted a conference on sustainability and how it relates to IPC (IPC Route to Net Zero, held at the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre on 8^th September)
• In December 2023 we joined the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (UKHACC)
• We’ve endorsed the Intensive Care Society’s Gloves Off in Critical Care campaign.
• We’ve included sessions on sustainability in several branch and special interest group events, with more planned.
• We’ve begun working with the British Infection Association, the Healthcare Infection Society and the Association of Laboratory Medicine on a coordinated approach to increasing sustainability in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment and management of infection. Our first joint action has been to express our combined support for Gloves Off in Critical Care - see statement below.

References

1. World Health Organisation (WHO). Climate change and noncommunicable diseases: connections. 2023. https://www.who.int/news/item/02-11-2023-climate-change-and-noncommunicable-diseases-connections (accessed 8 Feb 2024)
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Climate Effects on Health. 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/effects/default.htm (accessed 8 Feb 2024)
3. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Five Factors to Explain the Record Heat in 2023. 2024. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/152313/five-factors-to-explain-the-record-heat-in-2023 (accessed 8 Feb 2024)
4. Karliner, J., Slotterback, S., Boyd, R., Ashby, B., Steele, K., 2019. Health care’s climate footprint: how the health sector contributes to the global climate crisis and opportunities for action.
5. Health Declares. Declarations. 2023. https://healthdeclares.org/declarations/ (accessed 8 Feb 2024)

Gloves Off in Critical Care

As studies have shown (e.g. Loveday et al, 2013^*) much glove use in healthcare is unnecessary and can cause a risk of cross-contamination to patients or to staff. Using gloves unnecessarily not only increases infection risk but can also increase the risk of contact dermatitis in staff. Furthermore it generates excess waste, cost and emissions of CO₂. Choosing hand hygiene instead of inappropriate glove use is an effective way to protect both patients and staff, while reducing harm to the planet.

The Association of Laboratory Medicine, British Infection Association, Healthcare Infection Society and Infection Prevention Society fully endorse the Intensive Care Society’s “Gloves Off in Critical Care” campaign and would recommend all hospitals consider implementing this campaign in their critical care units and beyond.

*Loveday HP,Lynam S, Singleton J, Wilson J. Clinical glove use: healthcare workers' actions and perceptions. J Hosp Infect. 2014 Feb;86(2):110-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2013.11.003. Epub 2013 Nov 28. PMID: 24412643