Scotland first to ban desflurane
If healthcare was a country it would be the world’s fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Global healthcare’s annual climate footprint is estimated to be two billion tons of carbon dioxide – the same weight as 20,000 fully loaded-aircraft carriers! Healthcare providers are increasingly realising that they are very significant contributors to the global climate and biodiversity crisis. Driven by a desire to re-configure healthcare to a more sustainable model, the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland was the first medical specialty training body in Ireland to form a sustainability committee. It is increasingly widely understood that most anaesthetic gases are very potent greenhouse gases. The College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland is now considering proposals to issue recommendations to its members in the use of the anaesthetic gas desflurane. Congratulations to Scotland who have made the leap and are the first to do so!
