Healthcare leadership for a climate resilient future
Climate change is worsening health risks, and healthcare professionals—trusted messengers—must lead solutions. By cutting emissions, educating communities, integrating climate into training, and influencing policy, the health sector can drive major climate‑health action and build resilience across systems.
Subject Tags
- Climate impacts
- Climate resilience
- Social Sciences
Abstract
Global temperature increases exceeding 1.3°C have intensified extreme weather, pollution, and shifting disease patterns, underscoring the urgent need for climate action. This article examines the critical role of the healthcare sector in addressing climate‑related health risks. Healthcare professionals are uniquely positioned as trusted communicators and researchers capable of demonstrating the health benefits of climate solutions, including plant‑rich diets and urban greening. Emerging educational programs and professional initiatives are strengthening clinicians’ capacity to address the climate–health nexus. Medical societies and global health organizations increasingly recognize climate change as a public health emergency, driving policy engagement and sector‑wide commitments to reduce emissions. Hospitals and health systems can lead by example through decarbonization, sustainable procurement, and resilience planning, while insurers must adapt to evolving climate‑driven health risks. The article argues that healthcare leaders, by leveraging their authority and stewardship responsibilities, can catalyze societal and policy change to protect human health in a warming world.
Citation
Hayhoe, K. and Frist, W.H., 2024. Healthcare leadership for a climate resilient future. bmj, 387. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q2159
TNC Authors
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Katharine Hayhoe
Chief Scientist
The Nature Conservancy
Email: katharine.hayhoe@tnc.org -
William Frist, M.D.
Chairman, Global Board of Trustees
The Nature Conservancy