Harnessing the Power of Education for a Low-carbon Future in Anaesthesia: A Narrative Review.

Abstract

Climate change poses a significant threat to public health, with the healthcare sector being a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Anaesthesia and the operating room are notable contributors within this sector, particularly because of volatile inhalation gases such as desflurane and nitrous oxide. Therefore, improving sustainability in anaesthesia is a clinical and ethical imperative. This review examines recent advances in leveraging education to promote low-carbon anaesthesia practices. We summarize evidence on how various educational interventions and formats can reduce the carbon footprint of anaesthesia and discuss implementation strategies, challenges, and future directions. Many studies demonstrate that educational programs reduce the use of high global warming potential anaesthetic agents. Programs vary widely in scope, ranging from single-session lectures and surveys to multi-year sustainability task forces and formal policy changes, some of which have resulted in up to a 90% reduction in volatile agent emissions. Combining multiple techniques (such as lectures, posters, and vaporizer labeling) has been associated with substantial reductions in volatile agent emissions and with improved organizational readiness for sustainability initiatives. These education-driven shifts toward environmentally friendly approaches, such as low-flow techniques, total intravenous anaesthesia, and regional anaesthesia, have proven effective, cutting costs, maintaining patient safety, and reducing carbon emissions. Educational initiatives represent a practical and cost‑efficient strategy to reduce carbon emissions in anaesthesia practice and in healthcare. By integrating environmental stewardship into anaesthesia training and policy, anaesthesiologists can lead the transition of healthcare to low-carbon care.