Coda was born with one goal in mind: to take discussion and turn it into action. This extends to creating engaging clinical content but also to tackling broader issues that threaten global health.  

Coda however, will go one step further than SMACC, by crafting actions to mitigate threats to global health. Be a part of the change, as we strive for a healthier world.

Coda EARTH 2021

In this episode, we examine climate actions for healthcare professionals.

Firstly, the climate emergency is not only a healthcare emergency but also a wealth emergency. Financial markets have realised the monetary cost of not taking action to reduce carbon emissions and now whether governments like it or not, the markets are driving change.

Secondly, as investors, we have enormous power through our personal superannuation funds. Simple actions in how we invest personally, can have very meaningful outcomes in driving change to lower carbon emissions.

Thirdly, at the healthcare delivery level, we learn from the bold initiatives undertaken by the NHS in the UK to adopt a net-zero emissions policy. As healthcare workers, we have a basic premise to ‘first do no harm’ which behooves us to examine the carbon footprint of our healthcare delivery.

Finally, we must recognise that every child born today will be impacted throughout their lives by the climate emergency.

We must formulate actions at a Micro (personal actions we can all take), Meso (collective actions that our institutions, universities, local communities and business partners can all take) and Macro actions (the whole of government).

Tune in to watch or listen to four compelling conversations on climate actions for healthcare professionals.

Coda EARTH 2021

1. The climate crisis is a financial market emergency with Tim Buckley
2. The NHS: net-zero emissions by 2040 with Nick Watts
3. Re-evaluating your super can impact the climate emergency with Dan Goucher
4. Every child born today will be impacted by the climate crisis with Courtney Howard

Coda EARTH 2020

Action Stage: Stage One – Identify

The Coda community have identified the Climate Emergency as the most urgent threat to global health. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that the climate crisis will become catastrophic if we don’t take action immediately.

We outline the urgency of the challenges that global healthcare faces and how as health professionals, we must sound the alarm for both our patients and for our children.
Conversation one dives into how gas is often positioned as a “safer transition fuel” when in fact it is completely unnecessary and a potential super-pollutant. The panel critically assesses the interrelationship of power, wealth and influence in government and how to overcome the sceptics in the fight for truth about the grave threat the #climateEmergency poses to health.

Then, we move on to how the climate crisis is exacerbating existing Injustice and Inequity, disproportionately impacting those patients without access to universal health care. Additionally our younger population and our children are the most likely to be affected by the climate emergency, however, they have limited power of persuasion in the crucial decisions that we make today, which will impact on their tomorrow.

Conversation three defines what sustainable healthcare is. Health care accounts for 5-7% of the global carbon emissions. The healthcare community and supporting industries must commit to Corporate Social Responsibility goals and demand products, packaging and materials which have a minimal impact on the environment. We need to consider the super-cycle of high turnover, disposable waste and to challenge ourselves to consider alternatives such as reusable gowns. The overall target must be NetZero by 2050!

Finally, we examine how the pandemic response has shown us the way forward for climate action. The first step of managing the pandemic was to stop the problem growing, similarly, the first step to combat the climate emergency is to stop the burning of fossil fuels. Then, we must build the capacity of our systems to adapt to the crisis, just as we built health capacity and finally we must search for the ‘climate vaccine’ which means drawing CO2 out of our atmosphere.

Our premise is first do no harm but “time is planet” and we need to get moving.

Coda EARTH 2020

1. The Climate Emergency is a global healthcare emergency – But how bad is it? with Tim Flannery
2. Is the Climate Emergency exacerbating social injustice and inequity? with Omnia El Omrani
3. What is Sustainable Healthcare? with Michelle Fox
4. Actions for Healthcare in the face of the Climate Emergency with Courtney Howard

CODA Community

Coda is a community tackling the most urgent healthcare challenges, that need action, now. Join the Coda community or online on Facebook; Twitter; Instagram; or Linkedin

CODA Conferences

CODA22: Melbourne from 3-6 April 2022, will be an unparalleled healthcare event guaranteed to inspire your practice

All the SMACC Talks from 2019 in a searchable database. Search by keyword, category, speaker or title to explore the 150+ presentations. Search by Category:

• Medical Community and Advocacy
• Clinical Critical Care
• Medical Career and Wellbeing
• Education and Communication
• Medical Innovation