From the biomedical model to the climate-sensitive model: A necessary adjustment for research ethics committees

Ethics committees are not yet fully integrated into the response to climate change, whether they are national ethics committees (NECs) that issue advisory opinions or research ethics committees (RECs) that review research protocols. This article took this observation as its starting point to consider how ethics committees could support to more accurately assess the consequences of climate change on health, through a lens that focuses on the health of younger and future generations yet within the wider context of ecosystems. From November 2024 to November 2025, the R(H)OPE- The Right To An Open Future - project brought together eight partners based in six countries across four continents. An analysis of the literature and the case studies written by selected partners has led to the formulation of eight recommendations to guide ethics committees, international regulators (WHO, CIOMS, etc.) and ethicists towards adapting the biomedical model. These recommendations add intergenerational responsibility to the consideration of current intragenerational inequalities (Global Ethics) in order to preserve the right to an open future for young people and future generations.