The carbon emissions of global health care activities make up 4–5% of total world emissions, placing it on par with the food sector. Carbon emissions are particularly relevant for health care because of climate change health hazards. Doctors and health care professionals must connect their health care delivery with carbon emissions and minimize resource use when possible as a part of their obligation to do no harm. Given that reducing carbon is a global ethical priority, the informed consent process in health care delivery must change. I argue that the expanded role of bioethicists in this climate crisis is to promote and support “green informed consent:” the sharing of climate information with patients, offering options for lower-carbon health care, and accepting the patient’s right to decline treatments which are deemed too carbon intensive for their values.

全球医疗保健活动的碳排放量占世界总排放量的 4-5%，与食品行业相当。由于气候变化对健康造成危害，碳排放与医疗保健尤其相关。医生和医疗保健专业人员必须将他们的医疗保健服务与碳排放联系起来，并尽可能减少资源使用，作为不造成伤害义务的一部分。鉴于减少碳排放是全球道德优先事项，医疗保健提供中的知情同意流程必须改变。我认为，生物伦理学家在这场气候危机中的扩大作用是促进和支持“绿色知情同意”：与患者分享气候信息，提供低碳医疗保健选择，并接受患者拒绝治疗的权利，这些治疗被认为对于他们的价值观来说碳强度太高。