• GASTROSCOPY

We are delighted to introduce this edition of Frontline Gastroenterology focusing on climate change—what we should know about it and what collectively as individuals, as part of organisations, and as potential influencers, we should do about it.

We have worked closely with Professor Andrew Veitch, President of the British Society of Gastroenterology, to commission a set of papers that we think are exciting to read and have great potential to help us in our collective journey to impact on climate change.

It is important that we all remind ourselves and reflect on what climate change is. Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns. The main driver since the 1800s has been burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. The main greenhouse gases that are causing climate change are carbon dioxide and methane. Where do we all fit in? We increase greenhouse gases through many different activities including driving a car, using coal for heating, clearing land and cutting down forests and many initiatives in the agriculture, oil and gas industries. This means that the main sectors causing climate change are across multiple areas which we are all involved in, including the energy industry, manufacturing, transport, buildings, agriculture and land use—and it is only when all sectors act that change will occur.

Many emotive statements are often repeated such as ‘we face a huge challenge’ but in reality we already know many of the solutions and that we can pay the bill now or pay dearly in the future. There are three broad categories of action, including cutting emissions, adapting to climate impacts and financing all of this. Financial investment is a necessity that needs to come from ourselves, businesses and government. This involves big monetary numbers, but is an investment for the future.

It is important to phase out fossil fuels. It is important to leave all coal and gas in the ground. It is important that we introduced practises that use green sources of energy. We must consider the many consumables we use in our day-to-day practice.

Frontline Gastroenterology focuses on publishing articles that impact practice and in doing so helping us do our jobs better. In this issue, we have called on experts from many different sectors to contribute, and we are grateful to them for doing so and helping us produce such a great set of papers.

The edition starts with discussion of why climate change is a priority and what professional societies can do to help with Associate Professor Mai Perman from Fiji looking at the bigger picture ‘from the front line’.

We then consider some of the basics and just what we mean by carbon foot printing followed by a review on environmental accounting in healthcare—utility and limitations. We are delighted to have articles on research needs and how trainees can develop research networks. We then have a series of articles on infection control and sustainability, improving the carbon footprint of inflammatory bowel disease care, and creating a greener gastroenterology service so we can contribute to a greener National Health Service. ‘Green hepatology’ is covered. Finally as part of the bigger picture an article thinking about the food we give to our patients in hospital but also our role as advisors on food intake after discharge.

We hope very much you will enjoy the edition. We hope very much you will embrace the issues. We are delighted that this edition is electronic rather than in print—it could not really be published any other way could it? We are delighted the edition can be read as an eBook with all the articles accessible online. Read and enjoy!

R Mark Beattie, Editor in Chief

Philip J Smith, Deputy Editor

Frontline Gastroenterology