ESICM podcast series: Intensive Care in a Changing Climate

Every day, intensive care units save lives. They are places of innovation, technology, and hope. Yet behind every ventilator, monitor, laboratory test, and data server lies a hidden reality: healthcare has an environmental footprint.

As the climate crisis becomes one of the defining challenges of our time, intensive care professionals are beginning to ask difficult questions. How much does intensive care contribute to environmental change? Can we continue to provide the highest quality of care while reducing our impact on the planet? And what responsibility do healthcare professionals have in shaping a more sustainable future?

In this special podcast series, we bring together leading experts from around the world to explore the intersection between intensive care, sustainability, and climate action. Understanding the problem is only the first step. Real change happens when ideas become actions.

Professor Pedro Povoa shares his experience leading sustainability initiatives within his university hospital. Across the world, more hospitals are creating “green teams”—multidisciplinary groups dedicated to reducing waste, improving resource use, and embedding sustainability into everyday practice.

What does a successful green team look like? Who should be involved? Can environmental initiatives coexist with excellent patient care? And where should ICUs begin if they want to start their own sustainability journey?

Through practical examples and lessons learned, Prof. Povoa demonstrates that meaningful change often starts with small, achievable steps.