The Issue

Climate change has created a global mental health crisis. Due to both direct (e.g. extreme heat, hurricanes, desertification, displacement) and indirect (knowledge and awareness of the crisis) impacts of the climate crisis, people are experiencing climate emotions and mental health issues.

But, the direct impacts of climate change are not equal. People living in the Global South and predominately communities of color in the United States, who also often face environmental racism, disproportionately are affected by climate change and have less access to resources to address the mental health consequences of systemic environmental racism and climate disasters.

Resources

65%

65% of Americans are worried about climate change.

40%

40% percent of youth worldwide are hesitant to have children because of climate change.

9

Only 9 of 95 countries surveyed in 2021 by the World Health Organization have mental health included in their national health and climate programs.

9,000-40,000

By 2050, 9,000-40,000 more people in Mexico & the US could die by suicide due to increased temperatures.

85%

A survey of 16,000 US Gen Zers found that 85% are worried about climate change.

53%

"Children in utero during Hurricane Sandy had higher rates of anxiety (53%), compared to children who were born before or after the storm (22%) and they had higher rates of attention deficit disorder (30%), compared to non-exposed children (8%)."

80%

80% of people in the United States experienced extreme heat in 2021. In the US, 12% of pediatric ER visits were due to hotter temperatures. 25% of Americans are "socially vulnerable and have low resilience to extreme heat exposure."

78%

78% of parents in the US are concerned about the impacts of climate change to their children. 82% of parents agree “children will be essential in fighting climate change” and that “we must give them the knowledge and skills to build a sustainable world”…But only half of parents have talked to their kids about it.

People are 12x more likely to take climate action because of their love for future generations.

75%

75% of youth worldwide
said that the future is frightening because of climate change. A US survey of 16,000 youth also said the future is frightening.

25

In a survey of 12,000 university students in 32 countries, for those living in 25 of the countries, their climate anxiety led to positive environmental behaviors and actions. A US study found that people with low to moderate levels of climate anxiety were likely to engage in collective climate action.

3

3 million people in the US are climate migrants who have moved due to flood risk. Lower-income people were more likely to be displaced and for longer periods than wealthier people in the US.

3

Three years after a deadly California wildfire, people exposed directly and indirectly to the fire showed negative changes to cognition and brain function.

A Colorado study found that children's exposure to wildfire smoke increases the likelihood of anxiety, depression and other mental health problems.

en Español

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Source: World Health Organization's Mental Health and Climate Change Policy Brief

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"I DON'T KNOW WHAT I NEED. SINGING? TO BE HELD? THIS GRIEF IS BIGGER THAN ANYTHING I'VE EXPERIENCED."

"I DO FEEL ALONE WITH MY EMOTIONS ON CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT I KNOW I'M NOT... I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT A PRODUCTIVE SOCIAL CONVERSATION TOPIC."

"I'VE BEEN A SUSTAINABILITY PROFESSIONAL FOR OVER 25 YEARS, I'M BURNT OUT AND FAILING."

"SOLUTIONS NEED TO BE TAUGHT SO THAT WE AREN'T JUST BEING TAUGHT BY THERAPY OR MEDITATION TO 'JUST LIVE WITH IT' BUT ACTUALLY TO FEEL EMPOWERED THAT WE CAN USE OUR VOICES AND ACTIONS TO DO SOMETHING."

"I REGULARLY SPEND TIME OUTSIDE IN NATURE, WHICH HELPS LESSEN NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS FROM THINKING ABOUT CLIMATE INSTABILITY. LEARNING ABOUT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ALSO HELPS ME FEEL MORE IN CONTROL AND LESSENS THE NEGATIVE FEELINGS."

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A WORLD THAT DOESN'T CARE FOR CHILDREN AND ANIMALS."

en Español