Paving the way for green endoscopy in Saudi Arabia: A call for sustainable gastroenterology practice

Green endoscopy, the integration of environmentally sustainable practices into gastrointestinal endoscopy services, is gaining global momentum amid rising concerns about healthcare’s carbon footprint. Endoscopy contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, medical waste, and energy consumption due to its reliance on single-use plastics, energy-intensive reprocessing, and high procedural volumes. International initiatives, including those by the British Society of Gastroenterology and European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE), have highlighted strategies such as life cycle assessments, structured waste segregation, reusable devices, and carbon tracking, to reduce the environmental burden of endoscopy. While several high-income countries have adopted these approaches, Saudi Arabia has only begun to explore green endoscopy, despite its alignment with the sustainability objectives of Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative. Current barriers include lack of national guidelines, limited awareness among healthcare providers, inadequate recycling infrastructure, and infection control concerns. However, opportunities exist through centralized healthcare governance, investment in modern infrastructure, and integration of sustainability into training programs. This first of its kind review based on an extensive appraisal of existing literature examines the current status, challenges, and future opportunities for green endoscopy in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the urgent need for robust local data, supportive policy frameworks, and coordinated cross-sector collaboration. Embedding sustainability into endoscopy practice will not only reduce ecological impact but also position Saudi Arabia as a regional leader in sustainable healthcare.