A guide for program development of environmentally sustainable kidney care

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science and Public Health
• Nephrology and Climate Change Adaptation

Background:

• Climate change poses increasing risks to kidney health, with rising temperatures exacerbating kidney diseases.
• Global health systems are shifting towards net zero emissions and climate resilience.
• Kidney care contributes significantly to environmental impact, requiring focused sustainability efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide updated, evidence-based strategies for implementing environmentally sustainable kidney care.
• To address the need for both coordinated sectoral approaches and provider-level quality improvements in renal sustainability.

Main Methods:

• Review of current evidence and strategies for operationalizing sustainable kidney care.
• Description of a framework encompassing education, research, performance metrics, and accountability.
• Identification of optimized disease prevention, care appropriateness, and lower-impact care practices.

Main Results:

• Rising global temperatures adversely affect kidney health, increasing disease prevalence and severity.
• Framework elements include enhanced education, research, sustainability reporting, and accountability.
• Key strategies involve nonpharmacologic/pharmacologic prevention, stewardship of resources (labs, dialysis), promoting transplantation, and improving technology/waste management.

Conclusions:

• Environmentally sustainable kidney care is synonymous with high-quality care.
• These sustainable practices are ready for implementation across various healthcare settings.
• Integrating sustainability into kidney care is crucial for planetary health and patient well-being.