How to make dermatology conferences more sustainable?

Abstract

I read with great interest the Letter to the editor, submitted to the JEADV by Lim and co-authors, titled Exploring the Environmental Sustainability of Dermatology Conferences.¹ They compared findings from exhibitions at two congresses of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) and one Annual Scientific Meeting of the British Association of Dermatology (BAD). The authors assessed various aspects of samples collected and estimated the average carbon footprint associated with those samples, but they also gave some ideas about how we could collectively make improvements.

In recent years, sustainability has emerged as an important topic within the EADV, especially under the presidency of the immediate past president, Professor Martin Roecken. However, initiatives focused on sustainability at EADV Congresses began at an operational level prior to this period with the discontinuation of congress bag production and the shift to digital programme books, adjustments that elicited mixed responses from attendees. As stated in the Letter by Lim et al., the EADV Congress in Amsterdam offered reusable cups, made food donations and promoted public transport, as well as the use of bicycles. Furthermore, the formation of the EADV Climate Working Group 2 years ago has been instrumental in helping to address environmental concerns. The main goal is to promote awareness about the problem, highlight the effect of climate change on dermatological disease and show how dermatologists can help.

From the COVID-19 pandemic, we learned valuable lessons, notably the potential for conducting numerous activities online. In-person meetings remain essential for exchanging knowledge, experiences and ideas, as well as being part of human nature to meet and interact with colleagues. This necessity underscores the imperative to enhance the sustainability of conferences, which have a significant carbon footprint. Such events are usually attended by many attendees who often travel long distances by air, but also stay in hotels, generating substantial waste through single-use plastics, printed materials and food services.

Big dermatological societies, including EADV, are working on how to adopt sustainable practices further. Some strategies include the possibility of a hybrid meeting (if we do not think about the footprint produced by IT), choosing venues that prioritize sustainability, providing local sources of food and the provision of reusable water bottles. Some other options are to discuss sustainability with exhibitors to further align the exhibition with sustainability objectives. Lim et al. stated that an improvement is already visible, but there is still more intensive work to be done on the topic. Sustainability should not be perceived as a constraint but rather as an opportunity for innovation. Just as dermatology continuously adapts to emerging technologies and skincare research, it can also pioneer environmentally conscious event models that serve as exemplars for other medical disciplines.

Interesting is the fact that in the last few months, there has been an increasing number of different types of articles published in the JEADV, which confirms not only the importance of the problem but also the awareness of dermatovenereologists about the existence of the problem.^2-5

By taking different actions in organizing but also in participating to different conferences, dermatovenereologists can be leaders in the commitment to health, not solely for the skin but also for the planet.

The author declares no conflicts of interest.