Greenhouse gas emissions (GHE) from human activities are causing global warming resulting in ecosystem degradation. The consequences are multiple and serious for the human health, including emergence of infectious diseases, increase of extreme climate events (fires, drought, floods, sea level rise,...) or increase of direct impacts of heat and floods for example. In 2021, WHO claimed that climate change is the biggest threat for the human health of the 21th century. Moreover, the transgression of planetary boundaries (including the loss of biodiversity for example) and the continuing growth in a world with limited resources will also constitute future critical problems.
Immediate actions are urgently needed in order to decrease anthropogeneic GHE. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) agreement in Paris (COP21), the limitation of global warming to less than 1,5-2°C (above the preindustrial era levels) should necessitate a reduction of 80% GHE (« net zero ») by 2050 (about 5%/year). In Glasgow (COP26), the Belgian government has signed to reduce the environnemental footprint of our country. World healthcare sector represents 4,4% of global GHE (5,5-8% in Belgium) implicating that the concept of environnemental responsability should be included in the clinical practice of all medical specialties in order to implement appropriate actions to become more resilient and prevent dependence on fossil fuel energy sources. The main aims of the WG are sensibilisation, research and teaching, develop guidelines for good practices (including general « sustainable » actions like energy, circular economy and waste management), interaction with other specialties/companies and econology/eco-conception.