Sustainability in Healthcare Towards 2030 Poster for Australian Nursing and Midwifery Conference 2021.pdf

In 1992 the United Nations (UN), governments and major parties set an agenda for sustainable development at the ‘Earth Summit’ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil known as Agenda 21 to guide sustainable development globally into the 21st century. Subsequently this led to the development of the UN Commission for Sustainable Development and in 2015 the adoption of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals for achievement in 2030 by all member states. Almost 30 years have passed since the Earth Summit and the world is tracking negatively in many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The impact of coronavirus has reversed the progress made and has exacerbated inequalities within and between countries (UN, 2020). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that there will be an estimated 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress due to climate change from 2030 (WHO, 2018). This poster aims to inform individuals, leaders and policymakers in the health sector of the Unsustainable Development Goals. Innovative and proactive strategies on how to adapt to this challenge based on research and evidence through environmental stewardship and healthy hospital initiatives can promote awareness and sustainable practices in the health sector. Ensuring there is the capacity to respond to extreme weather events through disaster planning and improved partnerships will be emphasised. References: United Nations. (2020). Sustainable development goals report. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2020/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2020.pdf World Health Organisation. (2018). Climate change and health factsheet. https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-healt