Climate Change Mitigation and the “Goals of Medicine”

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ID: 338501
2026
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Abstract
Abstract Drawing on the Hastings Center’s 1996 “Goals of Medicine” report, this chapter explores arguments for integrating climate change mitigation into health care’s objectives, emphasizing prevention, public health, and sustainability. Climate change poses severe threats to human health, disproportionately harming vulnerable populations. The health sector, responsible for a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions, faces growing calls to de-carbonize and lead broader societal mitigation efforts. However, this challenge intersects with debates about the traditional mission of medicine—focused on individual patient care and rescue—and whether that mission should expand to include public-health and environmental responsibilities. While measures such as greening supply chains, telemedicine, and reducing low-value care align with existing goals of medicine, more ambitious mitigation may require limiting certain resource-intensive interventions, raising ethical, political, and practical concerns. The resurgence of “social medicine” traditions highlights the potential for hospitals to address climate-related social determinants of health, but skepticism remains about their capacity, expertise, and incentives. Democratic public engagement is crucial for re-defining health care’s mission in light of ecological responsibility.
Reference Key
openalex_W7225198586 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Gregory E. Kaebnick, Michael K. Gusmano
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Journal Oxford University Press eBooks
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/9780197807262.003.0019
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/9780197807262.003.0019
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