COVID-19 pandemic shed the light on the weaknesses of the healthcare ecosystem and, consequently, policies to address global environmental change gained important momentum in the design of recovery policies from COVID-19 and the Green Deal in the EU. Planetary health provides a relevant framework for understanding and addressing the interconnected causes and consequences among health and these changes.
In this context, nurses play a vital role in the co-design and implementation of planetary health solutions. Prevention and communication of nurses on risks and health solutions for the population will be fundamental. They represent the majority of healthcare professionals and the most trusted one. Thanks to their education, nurses understand science and they are able to communicate findings to the population. They have a long tradition and are important experts in informing the public about diseases and promoting health. It is evident that nurses and nurses’ organisations can take on an important role as change agents in a variety of activities concerning the climate crises.
Climate change is nothing new and its effects are becoming increasingly devastating for the earth and human health. At the health level, nurses can facilitate the implementation of ecological transformation by helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the various pollutants generated by health care. In this way, it would be possible to achieve an adaptation of the infrastructures and of the sanitary procedures that would help to face future threats and future crises. At the policy level, nurses can use their frontline experience to advocate for ambitious planetary health actions.
In planetary health policy and economic actions, nurses can orient “products, services and solutions that embed planetary health ideas and principles” and contribute to the monitoring of indicators of planetary health and wellbeing to measure human progress.
It is essential that the European Union and European Institutions set up a clear objective for Planetary Health in its decision making process and take into consideration engagement of nurses and the essential contribution which they can give in this implementation.
On the occasion of the World Health Day, the EFN wants to shed the light on the great issue of climate change that can really create irreversible damage to people and nature occurs. There is no more time to waste.
Stay healthy and take care about your climate and your health!
Useful information are available here:
- A European Green Deal – Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent
https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en
- EU climate action policy: Responding to the global emergency
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_STU(2021)689378
- European Commission. An international treaty on pandemic prevention and preparedness
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/coronavirus/pandemic-treaty/
- Protecting health in an environment challenged by climate change: European Regional Framework for Action