Issue 23 NURSING NEWS

CLIMATE CHANGE AND CST

NURSING AND CLIMATE CHANGE
The course that I am studying is Bachelor of Nursing
which is a career that focuses on providing the best care
for individuals with health issues within the community.
I have chosen to focus on the target of ‘promote
mechanisms to raise capacity for planning and
management’ 13.5 which is to essentially promote
mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate
change (United Nations Environment Programme
2019). - related planning and management in least
developed countries and small island developing states,
including focusing on women, youth, and local
marginalised communities. Nursing is equipping me in
working towards this specific target by creating a safe,
healthy, and productive work environment by
implementing deliberate practices such as workplace
wellness programs (Sensor & Branden et al, 2021).

Through social media, nursing is becoming more visible, we

are investing in continuing nursing education about climate
change, and we are speaking out through voting and joining
nursing organisations. It is clear that nursing has promoted this
goal well, as nurses ensure that they practise within a
framework that is based on human rights principles such as
equity, justice, inclusion, and access to basic resources that
protect individuals from harm, principles that surround and
inform the Sustainable Development Goals (Benton &
Ferguson 2016). Nursing students also lack knowledge about
the natural resources used in the production of healthcare
items, even though nurses can address the health effects of
climate change. While nursing courses possess qualities
conducive to promoting climate change, there is still a need for
greater knowledge and skills to support the mitigation of
climate change and, therefore, adapt to prevent human health
problems (Wolfgang, 2017)

www.climatchangenursing.com 1
 SDG 13
NURSING NEWS

CLAMATE CHANGE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TARGET 13. 5
The SDG 13 climate change focuses on ‘calling for urgent action to
combat climate change and its devastating impacts and therefore it
is a crucial component to save lives and livelihood and is the key to
make the 20230 agenda for sustainable development and its 17
goals. The climate change targets all have a common goal in aiming
to decrease the threat of climate change to the entire civilization the
targets
Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate related
disasters
Integrate climate change measures into policies and planning
Build knowledge and capacity to meet climate change
Implement to UN framework convention on climate change

Although all these targets each have a specific component in ways

of tackling climate change, the target I have chosen which is
‘promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate
change’ matters to me-the-most as it demonstrates the importance
and effectiveness-of-widespread-actions to reduce short lived
climate pollutants and being a devout-catholic-it-is-my-duty-as-a-
steward-of-God-to-protect-human life, dignity and security and to
always exercise a preferential option for the-poor, consistently
promote the common good (to which the climate is obviously part
of) and most-importantly-live in solidarity with future-generations.
The global nursing association focuses on This target-also-contributes-greatly-to-me-due-to-my-future-role-
promoting climate change and developing as-a nurse and having the duty to contribute to climate change
sustainability as the Catholic church has concerns adaptation where I will need to reduce-the-vulnerability-to-
about climate change as its effects have major harmful-effects-and-mitigation-as-I am-committing-to-protecting
repercussions on all living beings, most seriously on the-health-and-wellbeing-of-my-patients-whilst-promoting-
the most vulnerable like sick patients and thus are social-justice (Henshall & Davey, et al 2020).
called as Children of God to act and enter into the
communion of the spirit for the wellbeing of our
brothers and sisters in every corner of God's
Creation (Willis & Perry et al, 2014). Integral ecology
recognizes a moral imperative to stabilise climate
change, which combines environmental justice with
social justice and nurses have this specific duty in
their commitment to uphold human dignity,
wellness, healthy behaviors and optimal outcomes
(Willis & Perry et al, 2014).It is important that nurses
address environmental issues within the healthcare
settings, through taking climate action to promote
economic growth, eradicate extreme poverty and
importantly prioritise the needs of the sick (Pratt, 2
2022).
SDG 13
NURSING NEWS

CLIMATE CHANGE 13
Helping to remove lead in community housing
Taking back unused pharmaceuticals that would
end up in landfills
Water supplies for developing plan care e.g
preparing cooling centres for geriatric patients
during heat waves and warm centres during cold
weather (Pratt, 2022)
The Catholic health care-system can contribute to
human dignity by-promoting state and federal
policies that-support the care of God's creation.
Advocating for policies and promoting practices that
aids to restore relationships with God, others and all
creation, will essentially help health the earth and
Climate change & human dignity therefore, help health all of humanity (Allen & Reid
The Sustainable Development Goal target 13.5 plays a et al, 2020) and in the words of pope Francis
pivotal role in promoting mechanisms to increase ``Strategies for a solution demand an integrated
capacity for planning and managing sustainable approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to
development to address climate change. In the the excluded, and at the same time protecting
Catholic community, SD 13.5 promotes human dignity.
nature” (Allen & Reid et al, 2020). The foundations of
To save lives and livelihoods, we must take urgent
human health and existence are threatened by
action to combat climate change and its harmful
climate change, so we, as future nurses, have an
impacts, which requires fair treatment and meaningful
obligation to protect the dignity of our patients.
engagement of all people (Misleh & DiLeo et al, 2016).
The CST expresses that climate change is a grave
moral issue that threatens our commitments to
protect human life, health, dignity and security (Miller,
2020). The main goal here is to mitage climate change
and to prevent its negative human rights impacts, and
according to pope Francis the change environment
allows us to stop and think how we live on our planet,
we are called to always respond and importantly
adopt new ways of living for the better of the
environment (Miller, 2020). Nurses need to consider
the ecological impact of operational and healthcare
decisions. This approach is closely linked to Pope
Francis' notion of integral ecology. For example, the
Flint water crisis reflects communities of low income
and minorities. To assist this issue, nurses can engage
in a variety of discrete short-term projects to assist the
most vulnerable in the community to increase
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environmental health (Sensor & Branden et al, 2021)
SDG 13 NURSING NEWS

CLIMATE CHANGE
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE COMMON GOOD
The environment and its health is viewed by
nurses as a cornerstone of health care for
Furthermore, Target 13.5 promotes the CST of
common good as it is the common good, a
people, and as a way to return sick, disabled,
good that is shared by all individuals and has or injured people to wellness. Human dignity
negative human activity contributes negative can be promoted through the equitable
repercussions, we need to respond and protect distribution of resources. In order for all
this common good. People will have less segments of society to benefit equally from
chances of getting vector-borne diseases, health resources, nurses must ensure that
hypothermia, heat stroke, and other health resources are allocated accordingly
issues if they can adapt more to climate (Prandecki, 2017). By addressing structural
change and become more resilient (Henshall & inequalities that perpetuate poverty,
Davey et al, 2020). It is the responsibility of
marginalization, and social exclusion, and
healthcare professionals to address climate
thus increase vulnerability to climate hazards,
change concerns and advocate for the
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
common good to mitigate the effects of this
issue. To achieve the common good, they can
Development offers a unique opportunity for
implement certain policies or participate in building climate change resilience for
others ((Willis & Perry et al, 2014). Thus, sustainable development. Thus, nurses can
Nurses can help people to know how to contribute to the betterment and upliftment of
identify and prevent diseases and get access to marginalized communities through the
healthcare. Nurses, for example, can attend implementation of policies and programs. It is
climate change training programs, seminars, possible to promote human dignity and the
and webinars to gain a deeper understanding common good by providing equitable access
of how climate change impacts their health to health care.
and the various remedies (Willis & Perry et al,
2014). They can also educate patients about
climate change and its potential impacts. In
addition to controlling waste, including
hazardous materials, pharmaceuticals,
narcotics, and contagious trash, you also can
participate actively in the community. By
doing so, healthcare inequities can be
addressed and the common good can be
promoted (Schultz, 2020),

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 References:
Allen, C., Reid, M., Thwaites, J. et al. (2020). Assessing national progress and priorities for the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs): experience from Australia. Sustain Sci 15, 521–538.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-019-00711-x

Benton, D. C., & Ferguson, S. L. (2016). Windows to the future: Can the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals provide opportunities for nursing?. Nursing Economics, 34(2), 101-104.

Bridget Pratt. (2022). Sustainable global health practice: An ethical imperative?, bioethics, 36:874–882.DOI:
10.1111/bioe.13071

Henshall, C., Davey, Z., & Jackson, D. (2020). Nursing resilience interventions-A way forward in challenging
healthcare territories. Journal of clinical nursing, 29(19-20), 3597–3599. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15276

Konrad Prandecki (2017). Common Goods and Sustainable Development, European Journal of Sustainable
Development, 6, (3), 155-165. doi: 10.14207/ejsd.2017.v6n3p155

Miller, R. W. (2020). Climate Change, Catholic Social Teaching, and Human Rights, Interdisciplinary Journal
for Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society, 6(1), 171-192. doi:
https://doi.org/10.30965/23642807-00601011

Misleh, DiLeo, D. R., & Anderko, L. (2016). Laudato Si’ and Catholic Health Care. Health Progress (Saint Louis,
Mo.), 97(3), 46–49.

Schultz, R. (2020), Closing the Gap and the Sustainable Development Goals: listening to Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44: 11-13.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12958

Sensor, C. S., Branden, P. S., Clary-Muronda, V., Hawkins, J. E., Fitzgerald, D., Shimek, A. M., Al-Itani, D.,
Madigan, E. A. (2021). Nurses Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,The United Nations and Sigma
The American journal of nursing, 121(4), 65–68. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000742544.07615.db

United Nations Environment Programme (2019). SDG 13 Issue Brief: Sustainable Development Goal 13.
Promote Mechanisms for Raising Capacity for Effective Climate Change-related Planning and Management
in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States
.https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/28448.

Willis, D. , Perry, D., LaCoursiere-Zucchero, T. , & Grace, P. (2014). Facilitating humanization: Liberating the
profession of nursing from institutional confinement on behalf of social justice. Philosophies and practices of
emancipatory nursing: Social justice as praxis. 251–265. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894318415614905