Coming to terms with climate change

In 2023, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that there is very high confidence that rising global temperatures will lead to an increase in mental health hazards.[1] Despite this, while there is a growing body of research looking into the impacts of climate change on physical health, much less is understood about its potential effects on mental health. This is an area of research that needs to be addressed urgently.

From the University of Glasgow, Foundation-funded Dr Claire Niedzwiedz has been exploring the impact of climate change on mental health and wellbeing in Kenya. She is working alongside Dr Symon Kariuki, from the Kenya Medical Research Institute, to examine environment-related anxieties and develop potential new support systems for those affected psychologically by climate change in rural Kenya.

More recently, the researchers published a review in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health[2], outlining key concepts and pathways through which climate change may affect mental health. Dr Niedzwiedz’s review sheds much-needed light on the need for multilevel governmental action to address these impacts, particularly for vulnerable communities in sub-Saharan Africa and other low-income countries, that will be disproportionately affected by the climate change mental health crisis.

How does climate change affect mental health?

Climate change is leading to more frequent and extreme weather events, such as floods, storms and heatwaves. People living through these can be exposed to traumatic experiences, and many can experience psychological distress. In some cases, extreme weather events can lead to severe mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder. Global warming could itself affect the incidence rates of mental health issues, where for instance, it has been reported that hopitalisations for psychiatric disorders tend to increase during heatwaves.[3]

These more direct impacts of climate change on mental health, that stem from the personal experience of acute weather events, are just one pathway explored in Dr Niedzwiedz’s review. Dr Niedzwiedz and her team observe that direct climate change effects are more likely to affect disadvantaged groups in low-income and middle-income countries, particularly in remote or rural island communities. As well as extreme weather events, it is interesting to note that chronic exposures to the changing climate can also ‘directly’ impact mental health – for instance, observing sea-level rises can have major impacts on both individual and community mental health, especially for small island states and coastal communities.

In addition to those who are directly affected by witnessing devastating climate events, many communities across the world will be impacted by the socioeconomic and political changes the climate crisis will bring. Extreme weather events, for example, are likely to bring about unemployment, homelessness, and food and water insecurity – all of which can affect mental health on a macro level. Forced migration and displacement from climate change can additionally have significant repercussions for entire communities, impacting the economy and increasing political instability – with many experiencing feelings of betrayal around government responses to climate change.

It is important to highlight how certain groups will be more impacted by climate change effects than others, such as farmers, fishers and Indigenous people, who rely on the land and sea for their livelihood. Damage to crops and livestock could result in a loss of income, exacerbating poverty. With higher temperatures, outdoor labourers may face even more dire working conditions, affecting both their mental and physical wellbeing. Children and young people are often also unfairly impacted by acute weather events, through disruptions to education, something that is a key social determinant of mental health.

Pathways between climate change and mental health. [2]

What does this study add to what we already know?

Climate and health scientists already recognise that climate change can impact mental health through various pathways, potentially worsening existing inequalities. In their review, Dr Niedzwiedz and her team discuss and clarify these effects on both individuals and wider communities.

Awareness and anticipation of climate change can lead to a widespread ‘eco-anxiety’. This study explores other emotional responses to the climate crisis, ranging from despair and grief to optimism and empowerment. The researchers discuss how it could be unhelpful to try and diagnose appropriate emotional reactions to the climate crisis – an argument that many in the field similarly agree with, pointing out that climate-related reactions are often adaptive and constructive. The study shows the benefits of instead focusing on new terms like ‘solastalgia’ or ‘ecological grief’ to better describe the feeling of being disconnected and experiencing a loss towards a changing homeland.

The review acknowledges that different cultures likely have their own unique terms to describe climate change and health experiences, such as indigenous communities, which are particularly connected and dependent on the natural environment surrounding them. The study also references the environmental distress that many indigenous communities may also experience, as many high-income countries continue to exploit local environments in lower-income regions for their own profit.

By addressing these challenges and implementing strategies to mitigate climate change, we can foster a healthier planet and simultaneously improve mental wellbeing for all.

Read the full review here >>

References:

[1] The 2023 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): Synthesis Report – Summary for Policymakers

[2] Niedzwiedz CL, Olsen JR, Rizeq J, et al Coming to terms with climate change: a glossary for climate change impacts on mental health and well-being J Epidemiol Community Health 2025;79:295-301

[3] Burke, M., González, F., Baylis, P. et al. Higher temperatures increase suicide rates in the United States and Mexico. Nature Clim Change 8, 723–729 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0222-x