Nearly one in five US adults struggles with mental illness, and an increasing amount of research indicates that climate change can exacerbate these mental health challenges.1 The latest IPCC reports highlight the profound mental repercussions of climate events — with 20-30% of those experiencing hurricanes facing depression or PTSD in the subsequent months, with similar rates in flood survivors.1
Both sudden extreme weather events (such as hurricanes or wildfires) and long-term shifts (rising sea levels or increased temperatures) contribute to mental health risks — ranging from mild stress symptoms to clinical disorders like anxiety or depression. These risks can be direct, stemming from personal trauma experienced during events like hurricanes; indirect, related to climate-induced threats to livelihoods or food security; or vicarious, originating from the distress of witnessing or learning about the toll climate impacts take on others. Public sentiment data shows a rise in climate anxiety, with half of US adults reporting mental health impacts related to climate change and a significant percentage expressing concern for future generations.1
The American Psychological Association (APA) recommends promoting mental health in the face of climate change by focusing on both individual and community resilience. At the individual level, strategies include strengthening social networks, fostering optimism and hope, and enhancing personal preparedness. For community resilience, the APA suggests addressing socioeconomic disparities, preserving cultural connections, and broadening disaster response plans with community input.2
The climate crisis is not only one of the biggest public health challenges of our time, but it also poses a significant threat to the mental health of young people. Negative depictions of the future influence the likelihood of active engagement, and can have serious consequences for mental health, especially that of young people.
Climate anxiety has been described as ‘biggest pop-culture trend of 2019.3 A study led by the University of Bath surveyed 10,000 young people in ten countries, and revealed that 75% of young people think the future is frightening, 59% are very or extremely worried about climate change, and 45% feel that their feelings about climate change negatively affects their daily life and functioning.4 Most notably, climate anxiety and distress were correlated with perceived inadequate government response and associated feelings of betrayal.
A participant-led paper by Climate Cares found that climate-related distress often derives from the acute knowledge that the crisis is not being taken seriously enough, as well as a failure to consider young people’s feelings and hope in policymaking and research.5 Young people are often only involved in climate discussions tokenistically, and unfairly portrayed as the world's ultimate saviors while lacking power to affect change at structural levels. The authors list validating responses, support from mental health professionals, and genuine commitment to climate action as helpful when coping with these feelings, as well as intergenerational collaboration on an institutional level.
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Omnia El Omrani
Tackling the climate mental health challenge
I’m a climate change and health policy fellow at Climate Cares, a project steered by Imperial College London working across research and policy around the nexus between climate change, and mental health. One of our biggest initiatives is the Connecting Climate Minds Project, which is building seven regional communities of practice, organizing virtual dialogues and convening organizations to create regional research agendas linking climate change and mental health, both directly or indirectly. We’re also looking at solutions and cost-effective interventions to respond to the challenges and the implications of climate change on mental health, centering the needs and the perspectives of people’s lived experience and youth.
We want to understand the needs and priorities for each region. We're also creating an online hub that will create a powerful interconnected community of practice, linking climate and mental health solutions. We want to engage people meaningfully, honor their views and insights, center their priorities and perspectives at the heart of this research and action agenda. We are funded by the Wellcome Trust and have partners around the world, including in the Philippines, the Caribbean, and the US.
Interestingly, the strongest predictor of climate anxiety is climate information-seeking behavior. As such, climate anxiety should not be seen as a mental illness, but a natural and non-pathological response to the planetary-scale crisis we find ourselves in. And it can even be a motivating force to take action:6 a study from 2022 found that climate anxiety is a predictor of pro-environmental behavior and even climate activism, although how an individual deals with their feelings is largely dependent on their country of residence - with activism more common in democratic countries like Finland, and sustainable lifestyle choices more widespread in countries with higher GDPs.7
However, without adequate support, climate anxiety can lead to mental health issues. Research suggests that most people do not receive adequate support either from the people around them nor mental health professionals.5 Taking collective action, such as engaging with an activist group, has been shown to act as a buffer to climate-related mental health issues. Unfortunately, individual sustainable lifestyle choices often do not provide the same mental health benefits, as people tend to feel that their actions are insignificant compared to the enormity of the challenge.8
The Age of Transformation network argues that amidst the external challenges of climate change and various crises in energy, economy, and food, our inner crisis of meaning and purpose often remains overlooked. The Mental Health State of the World report reveals a global trend of younger generations experiencing declining mental health9 — this crisis is intertwined with the broader global issues we face. Confronting dysfunctional prevailing societal norms of material accumulation is essential — instead embracing an emerging paradigm that values interconnectedness, love, compassion, and justice. Disrupting old cultural paradigms and fostering new ones in our lives and communities holds potential to drive a more sustainable future, both in terms of wellbeing and the planet.10
Human Psychology for Catalyzing Action
How climate change is framed will influence how people perceive it, and therefore what actions they are willing to take. By framing climate change as an urgent problem that requires immediate action, as well as an opportunity to create a better future rather than a sacrifice, we can motivate people to take personal action
Keep reading- Climate Central. Climate Change and Mental Health. Climate Central - Climate Matters. Published May 25, 2022. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/climate-change-and-mental-health
- Clayton S, Manning C, Speiser M, Hill AN. Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Impacts, Inequities, Responses. American Psychological Association; 2021. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/mental-health-climate-change.pdf
- McGinn M. 2019’s biggest pop-culture trend was climate anxiety. Grist. Published December 27, 2019. Accessed July 28, 2023. https://grist.org/politics/2019s-biggest-pop-culture-trend-was-climate-anxiety/
- Hickman C, Marks E, Pihkala P, et al. Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey. Lancet Planet Health. 2021;5(12):e863-e873. doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00278-3
- Diffey J, Wright S, Uchendu JO, et al. “Not about us without us” - the feelings and hopes of climate-concerned young people around the world. Int Rev Psychiatry Abingdon Engl. 2022;34(5):499-509. doi:10.1080/09540261.2022.2126297
- Whitmarsh L, Player L, Jiongco A, et al. Climate anxiety: What predicts it and how is it related to climate action? J Environ Psychol. 2022;83:101866. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101866
- Ogunbode CA, Doran R, Hanss D, et al. Climate anxiety, wellbeing and pro-environmental action: correlates of negative emotional responses to climate change in 32 countries. J Environ Psychol. 2022;84:101887. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101887
- Schwartz SEO, Benoit L, Clayton S, Parnes MF, Swenson L, Lowe SR. Climate change anxiety and mental health: Environmental activism as buffer. Curr Psychol N B NJ. Published online February 28, 2022:1-14. doi:10.1007/s12144-022-02735-6
- Thiagarajan T, Newson J. The Mental State of the World in 2022. Sapien Labs; 2023. https://mentalstateoftheworld.report/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Mental-State-of-the-World-2022.pdf?ref=ageoftransformation.org
- Ahmed NM. The Planetary Emergency is a Crisis of Spirituality. Age of Transformation. Published March 31, 2023. Accessed July 29, 2023. https://ageoftransformation.org/the-planetary-emergency-is-a-crisis-of-spirituality/
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Figure 55: Percentage of the UK's population who believes that climate change will negatively impact their mood and mental health. Source: UK Office for National Statistics.
Figure 57: Beliefs of young people towards climate change and its impacts on our daily lives. Source: The Lancet Planetary Health.
Figure 59: Share of Americans who reported feeling somewhat or very worried about climate change. Source: Climate Central.
Figure 61: Connection between climate hazards and mental health risks. Source: Climate Central.
Source: TED & Britt Wray
Source: TED & Reneé Lertzman
Nearly one in five US adults struggles with mental illness, and an increasing amount of research indicates that climate change can exacerbate these mental health challenges.1 The latest IPCC reports highlight the profound mental repercussions of climate events — with 20-30% of those experiencing hurricanes facing depression or PTSD in the subsequent months, with similar rates in flood survivors.1
Both sudden extreme weather events (such as hurricanes or wildfires) and long-term shifts (rising sea levels or increased temperatures) contribute to mental health risks — ranging from mild stress symptoms to clinical disorders like anxiety or depression. These risks can be direct, stemming from personal trauma experienced during events like hurricanes; indirect, related to climate-induced threats to livelihoods or food security; or vicarious, originating from the distress of witnessing or learning about the toll climate impacts take on others. Public sentiment data shows a rise in climate anxiety, with half of US adults reporting mental health impacts related to climate change and a significant percentage expressing concern for future generations.1
The American Psychological Association (APA) recommends promoting mental health in the face of climate change by focusing on both individual and community resilience. At the individual level, strategies include strengthening social networks, fostering optimism and hope, and enhancing personal preparedness. For community resilience, the APA suggests addressing socioeconomic disparities, preserving cultural connections, and broadening disaster response plans with community input.2
The climate crisis is not only one of the biggest public health challenges of our time, but it also poses a significant threat to the mental health of young people. Negative depictions of the future influence the likelihood of active engagement, and can have serious consequences for mental health, especially that of young people.
Climate anxiety has been described as ‘biggest pop-culture trend of 2019.3 A study led by the University of Bath surveyed 10,000 young people in ten countries, and revealed that 75% of young people think the future is frightening, 59% are very or extremely worried about climate change, and 45% feel that their feelings about climate change negatively affects their daily life and functioning.4 Most notably, climate anxiety and distress were correlated with perceived inadequate government response and associated feelings of betrayal.
A participant-led paper by Climate Cares found that climate-related distress often derives from the acute knowledge that the crisis is not being taken seriously enough, as well as a failure to consider young people’s feelings and hope in policymaking and research.5 Young people are often only involved in climate discussions tokenistically, and unfairly portrayed as the world's ultimate saviors while lacking power to affect change at structural levels. The authors list validating responses, support from mental health professionals, and genuine commitment to climate action as helpful when coping with these feelings, as well as intergenerational collaboration on an institutional level.
Omnia El Omrani
Tackling the climate mental health challenge
I’m a climate change and health policy fellow at Climate Cares, a project steered by Imperial College London working across research and policy around the nexus between climate change, and mental health. One of our biggest initiatives is the Connecting Climate Minds Project, which is building seven regional communities of practice, organizing virtual dialogues and convening organizations to create regional research agendas linking climate change and mental health, both directly or indirectly. We’re also looking at solutions and cost-effective interventions to respond to the challenges and the implications of climate change on mental health, centering the needs and the perspectives of people’s lived experience and youth.
We want to understand the needs and priorities for each region. We're also creating an online hub that will create a powerful interconnected community of practice, linking climate and mental health solutions. We want to engage people meaningfully, honor their views and insights, center their priorities and perspectives at the heart of this research and action agenda. We are funded by the Wellcome Trust and have partners around the world, including in the Philippines, the Caribbean, and the US.
Interestingly, the strongest predictor of climate anxiety is climate information-seeking behavior. As such, climate anxiety should not be seen as a mental illness, but a natural and non-pathological response to the planetary-scale crisis we find ourselves in. And it can even be a motivating force to take action:6 a study from 2022 found that climate anxiety is a predictor of pro-environmental behavior and even climate activism, although how an individual deals with their feelings is largely dependent on their country of residence - with activism more common in democratic countries like Finland, and sustainable lifestyle choices more widespread in countries with higher GDPs.7
However, without adequate support, climate anxiety can lead to mental health issues. Research suggests that most people do not receive adequate support either from the people around them nor mental health professionals.5 Taking collective action, such as engaging with an activist group, has been shown to act as a buffer to climate-related mental health issues. Unfortunately, individual sustainable lifestyle choices often do not provide the same mental health benefits, as people tend to feel that their actions are insignificant compared to the enormity of the challenge.8
The Age of Transformation network argues that amidst the external challenges of climate change and various crises in energy, economy, and food, our inner crisis of meaning and purpose often remains overlooked. The Mental Health State of the World report reveals a global trend of younger generations experiencing declining mental health9 — this crisis is intertwined with the broader global issues we face. Confronting dysfunctional prevailing societal norms of material accumulation is essential — instead embracing an emerging paradigm that values interconnectedness, love, compassion, and justice. Disrupting old cultural paradigms and fostering new ones in our lives and communities holds potential to drive a more sustainable future, both in terms of wellbeing and the planet.10
Figure 55: Percentage of the UK's population who believes that climate change will negatively impact their mood and mental health. Source: UK Office for National Statistics.
Figure 57: Beliefs of young people towards climate change and its impacts on our daily lives. Source: The Lancet Planetary Health.
Figure 59: Share of Americans who reported feeling somewhat or very worried about climate change. Source: Climate Central.
Figure 61: Connection between climate hazards and mental health risks. Source: Climate Central.
Source: TED & Britt Wray
Source: TED & Reneé Lertzman
Human Psychology for Catalyzing Action
How climate change is framed will influence how people perceive it, and therefore what actions they are willing to take. By framing climate change as an urgent problem that requires immediate action, as well as an opportunity to create a better future rather than a sacrifice, we can motivate people to take personal action
Keep reading- Climate Central. Climate Change and Mental Health. Climate Central - Climate Matters. Published May 25, 2022. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/climate-change-and-mental-health
- Clayton S, Manning C, Speiser M, Hill AN. Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Impacts, Inequities, Responses. American Psychological Association; 2021. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/mental-health-climate-change.pdf
- McGinn M. 2019’s biggest pop-culture trend was climate anxiety. Grist. Published December 27, 2019. Accessed July 28, 2023. https://grist.org/politics/2019s-biggest-pop-culture-trend-was-climate-anxiety/
- Hickman C, Marks E, Pihkala P, et al. Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey. Lancet Planet Health. 2021;5(12):e863-e873. doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00278-3
- Diffey J, Wright S, Uchendu JO, et al. “Not about us without us” - the feelings and hopes of climate-concerned young people around the world. Int Rev Psychiatry Abingdon Engl. 2022;34(5):499-509. doi:10.1080/09540261.2022.2126297
- Whitmarsh L, Player L, Jiongco A, et al. Climate anxiety: What predicts it and how is it related to climate action? J Environ Psychol. 2022;83:101866. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101866
- Ogunbode CA, Doran R, Hanss D, et al. Climate anxiety, wellbeing and pro-environmental action: correlates of negative emotional responses to climate change in 32 countries. J Environ Psychol. 2022;84:101887. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101887
- Schwartz SEO, Benoit L, Clayton S, Parnes MF, Swenson L, Lowe SR. Climate change anxiety and mental health: Environmental activism as buffer. Curr Psychol N B NJ. Published online February 28, 2022:1-14. doi:10.1007/s12144-022-02735-6
- Thiagarajan T, Newson J. The Mental State of the World in 2022. Sapien Labs; 2023. https://mentalstateoftheworld.report/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Mental-State-of-the-World-2022.pdf?ref=ageoftransformation.org
- Ahmed NM. The Planetary Emergency is a Crisis of Spirituality. Age of Transformation. Published March 31, 2023. Accessed July 29, 2023. https://ageoftransformation.org/the-planetary-emergency-is-a-crisis-of-spirituality/
