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An extra perspective on sustainable health
In December 2021, MTb published the edition Climate Changemakers in Health. This edition focused on how to address the urgency of climate change as a medical professional. In addition to this, MTb presented several case studies in the health sector that show actions and experiences on how to reduce the carbon footprint. Awareness is growing, and more and more hospitals and other health care institutions employ sustainability advisors and set up Green Teams in order to achieve positive impacts in their daily work environment. Moreover, sustainability is included in the Dutch Integral Health Agreement (Integraal Zorgakkoord) and the government stimulates continuation of the Green Deal 3.0.
It is inspiring and hopeful to see this rapidly growing movement amongst health care workers. Indeed, according to the recently updated Dutch code of conduct for physicians, physicians are obliged to promote health and have to be aware of the dependent relationship between health, climate and environment. Therefore, we, medical professionals, have to reduce our own ecological footprint by changing our medical routines.
From this point of view, we think it is crucial to add an extra perspective on our way towards sustainability. This potential could come from an unexpected area, with an unexpected high impact: the retirement funds. After all, the sustainability potential of our society depends largely on investments of big capital. All Dutch retirement funds together invest about 1500 billion euros. Unfortunately, those funds focus traditionally on maximum efficiency of their investments, and not on the habitability of our earth. To date, the lion’s share of these investments still finance the climate crisis by funding the fossil fuel industry, other big industrial polluters, massive deforestation, and even the arms industry.
In recent years, members of retirement funds (as well as clients of banks and insurance companies) are more and more aware of these investments. Indeed, personal efforts for an eco-friendlier lifestyle feel futile when our own money is spent contra-effectively by these funds. In fact, increasing social pressure has already made some large investors change their course. For example, retirement fund ABP is finally withdrawing its investments in fossil fuels in 2023. Unfortunately, most people are not able to choose their retirement fund. However, the retirement funds are legally obliged to respond to your concerns. So you could start by sending them an email and sharing your opinion. Or you can choose to speak up on social media, often an effective way to contribute to social awareness in order to achieve change. It is our money, our health and our future. Make the first small step to move this enormous amount of money towards sustainable investments. Send a message to Groen Pensioen (https://groen-pensioen.nl) or attend one of their webinars where you will get tips and tricks on how to speak up to your retirement fund. Even a prepared letter, ready to be sent to your retirement fund, is waiting for you.
Investing money from medical professionals in a health-damaging fashion is simply unacceptable. Promote health by taking responsibility for these investments, stand up to your retirement funds, and demand a radical change towards sustainable investments.
