The provision of healthcare results in high carbon emissions, with notable hotspots resulting from acute care. Operating theatres are a particularly resource-intensive area, with an estimated 3-6 times more energy use than other parts of a hospital. To attempt to mitigate this, the Veterinary Green Theatre Checklist (VGTC), adapted from the Intercollegiate Green Theatre Checklist | RCSEd (IGTC) v2.0 (released in November 2024), was designed to promote sustainable perioperative practices in veterinary medicine. This initiative was led by the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and developed by an international expert working group and independently reviewed by specialists worldwide, include ECVN representatives Rita Goncalves and Sophie Wyatt. The project has received endorsements from several veterinary organisations including ECVN, AVA, ECVS, ANZCVS, BVNA, BEVA and RCVS Knowledge.
While this checklist focuses on mitigating the impacts of veterinary healthcare once operating theatres become necessary, sustainable interventions should extend throughout the entire surgical pathway. Primary prevention remains the most effective carbon reduction strategy, although future research must establish for which conditions surgery may have lower environmental impact over the longer term than medical management. When surgery is necessary, pathway optimisation can include telemedicine, consolidated diagnostics, and ambulatory procedures where clinically appropriate. The 2023 Green Surgery Report provides more information on reducing the environmental impact of surgical care pathways.
There is a rapid evolution of understanding in this field, and it is expected that this checklist is iterative and will be adapted as new evidence emerges. As such, the VGTC v1.0 stands as a practical tool for a veterinary clinic to audit current practices, and to take simple, pragmatic first steps into sustainable practices in operating theatres. ECVN supports the implementation of the strategies described in the checklist and advises our members to download and read the checklist below.