World Environment Day 2026: Padma Shri Janak McGilligan Palta highlights role of nurses in climate action at Edu SerumX Nursing College in Indore
Nurses uniquely positioned to lead climate action and sustainable healthcare: Janak Palta McGilligan
“Nurses are uniquely positioned to promote environmental health and sustainable healthcare practices,” said Janak Palta McGilligan during an interactive session on the role of nurses in climate action at Edu SerumX Nursing College, Indore.
Organised in collaboration with the Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development, the session aimed to inspire nursing students and faculty to take climate action and adopt sustainable practices in healthcare. McGilligan introduced the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and emphasised that environmental sustainability requires responsibility in everyday life, not just awareness. She suggested practical steps such as reducing waste, conserving water, planting trees, avoiding single-use plastics, and adopting sustainable lifestyles.
Frontline advocates for public health
During the interactive discussion, students asked how nurses can actively contribute to climate action and environmental protection. McGilligan encouraged them to become role models, spreading awareness among patients, families, and communities. She highlighted that nurses have a critical role in promoting public health alongside environmental sustainability.
The event started with a lamp-lighting ceremony and the felicitation of the chief guest. Participants also took an environmental pledge, reaffirming their commitment to reducing pollution, conserving natural resources, and supporting a greener planet.
Connecting sustainable practices to personal lives
The session strengthened the understanding of the link between sustainable healthcare and environmental protection. It motivated students to integrate climate-conscious practices into their personal and professional lives. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, recognising the efforts of faculty, students, and the guest.
Celebrating World Environment Day 2026, the event highlighted the important role of healthcare professionals in climate action, demonstrating that small, individual actions can collectively make a significant impact on environmental sustainability and public health.
- Dual responsibility matrix: Interlinking the management of patient recovery pathways directly with environmental preservation.
- Clinical resource conservation: Practical targeting of daily medical waste reduction, structured water conservation, and elimination of single-use items in clinical ecosystems.
- The frontline multiplier effect: Positioning clinical nurses as active healthcare role models to spread proactive ecological habit shifts across families and communities.
- World Environment Day 2026 pledge: Unifying systemic public health structures with everyday institutional climate accountability.