Threats to Humanity and Doctors' Duties.

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Environmental Health
• Climate Change Mitigation

Background:

• Healthcare systems significantly contribute to climate change.
• Physicians have a general ethical duty to do good and prevent harm.
• The intersection of medical practice and environmental responsibility is increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the ethical obligations of doctors regarding climate change.
• To address objections concerning doctors' scope of influence and patient care priorities.
• To establish the validity of a duty for physicians to mitigate environmental impacts.

Main Methods:

• Ethical analysis of physicians' duties.
• Examination of objections to physician involvement in climate action.
• Discussion of practical implementation within medical institutions.

Main Results:

• Doctors have a plausible duty to mitigate climate change impacts from healthcare.
• Objections regarding specialist knowledge and influence are not applicable to actions within medical institutions.
• Prioritizing patient care does not negate the duty to address environmental concerns.

Conclusions:

• Physicians possess an ethical imperative to address climate change.
• Environmental mitigation efforts can be integrated into clinical practice without compromising patient care.
• Doctors can and should act to reduce the health system's environmental footprint.