Resources Section

POSITION STATEMENTS

RACS Reusable Surgical Gowns Position Statement (PDF 212.89KB)

Endorsed by:

Doctors-for-environment BSANZ RANZCOG ASOHNS RANZCO AOA ANZCA ANZAPS NSA

General Surgeons Australia logo

Joint Statement: Working together to achieve sustainable high-quality health care in a changing climate

Endorsed by:

Endorsing organisations for Joint Statement on Climate Change and Health

A Call to Secure a Just & Equitable Transition to Sustainable Energy & Safeguard Health (PDF 764.25KB)

Endorsed by:

SUBMISSIONS

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Submission

The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Policy and Methods Review was established to examine Australia's approach to assessing health technologies for government funding, and to deliver a report and recommendations to the Australian Government.

RACS made a submission to the HTA Review, endorsing the reporting of environmental impacts and using this data in approval and reimbursement decisions for the health technology products. Read the RACS submission

In the Final Report for the Review, Recommendation 43 on Environmental impact reporting aligns with RACS' recommendations in its submission.

Health Technology Assessment Policy and Methods Review - Final report (PDF 2.74MB)

Health Technology Assessment Policy and Methods Review - Recommendations summary (PDF 778.23KB)

Health Technology Assessment Policy and Methods Review - Full recommendations (PDF 355.36KB)

MEDIA ARTICLES

Insight+ Issue 31/11 August 2025: Clinical practices must reduce emissions to double antimicrobial resistance goals

JOURNAL PAPERS

Li W, Huang T, Liu C, Wushouer H, Yang X, Wang R, Xia H, Li X, Qiu S, Chen S, Chak Ho H, Huang C, Shi L, Guan X, Tian G, Liu G, L. Ebi K, Lianping Y. Changing climate and socioeconomic factors contribute to global antimicrobial resistance. Nature Medicine 2025; 31: 1798-1808. (PDF 30MB)

Gangakhedkar S, Chen S, Sulputra T, Azam M, Jelbart Z, McCahill O. A Modified Step-Up Approach to Elective Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Safely Reduces Cost and Carbon Impacts. ANZ Journal of Surgery 2025; 0:1-7. (PDF 253.59KB)

Qin R, Woodward A. Towards sustainable surgical care systems: a broader framing. ANZ Journal of Surgery 2023; 93: 2550-2551.

Qin RX, Velin L, Yates EF, et al. Building sustainable and resilient surgical systems: A narrative review of opportunities to integrate climate change into national surgical planning in the Western Pacific region. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific 2022; 22. DOI:10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100407.

McGain F, Muret J, Lawson C, Sherman JD. Environmental sustainability in anaesthesia and critical care. British Journal of Anaesthesia 2020; 125: 680–92.

Leddin D, Omary MB, Veitch A, et al. Uniting the global gastroenterology community to meet the challenge of climate change and non-recyclable waste. Gut 2021; 70: 2025–9.

Bravo D, Gaston RG, Melamed E. Environmentally Responsible Hand Surgery: Past, Present, and Future. J Hand Surg Am 2020; 45: 444–8.

Sanabria A, Kowalski LP, Nixon IJ, et al. Considerations for environmentally sustainable head and neck surgical oncology practice. Am J Otolaryngol 2020; 41: 102719.