Climate change
Theme leaders: Jura Augustinavicius & Rachel Williamson
The climate crisis is adversely affecting population mental health. The impacts of the climate crisis on mental health are related to collective problems that are experienced unequally, such as insufficient political will and harmful policies, increased disaster exposure, poverty, violence, the erosion of important places and landscapes, and harms to human physical health and the health of ecosystems, along with others (Augustinavicius et al., 2021; Berry et al., 2018).
Working with populations most impacted by the climate crisis, research is needed to better understand and assess mental health in the context of the climate crisis and to identify and test appropriate intervention strategies. Projects are currently being developed under this theme.
Projects under this theme will aim to
1. Provide conceptual clarity to the varied mental health responses to climate change,
2. Develop methods of assessing mental health in the context of climate change,
3. Develop appropriate intervention strategies with communities most impacted by climate change.
Project suggestions and collaborators welcome! To get involved or learn more, please contact Rachel Williamson or Jura Augustinavicius.
1. Climate change and mental health network
Project group
The network is open to researchers and clinicians with an interest/expertise in the intersection of climate change and mental health. We are particularly interested in expanding the network to include members from underrepresented (i.e., non-Western) geographical areas. To get involved or learn more, please contact Rachel Williamson or Jura Augustinavicius.
Current network members
Rachel Williamson (PI), University of Montana, US
Jura Augustinavicius, McGill University, Canada
Phoebe Bean, University of Montana, US
Gary Belkin, Harvard, US
Fiona Charlson, University of Queensland, Australia
Susan Clayton, Wooster College, US
Ashlee Cunsolo, Memorial University, Canada
Christy Denckla, Harvard, US
Michel Dückers, ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre/University of Groningen, Netherlands
Selina Hardt, University of Montana, US/Germany
Sara Helmink, chairwoman Stichting Klimaatpsychologie, Netherlands
Oj Jiaqing, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore
Emma Lawrance, Imperial College London, UK
Sarah Lowe, Yale School of Public Health, US
Alessandro Massazza, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
Kelton Minor, Columbia University, Data Science Institute
Tulsi Modi, Planetary Health Alliance, US
Jessica Newberry, Imperial College London, UK
Nick Obradovich, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, US
Meaghan O'Donnell, University of Melbourne, Australia
Miranda Olff, Amsterdam UMC, Netherlands
Larry Palinkas USC, US
Martin Paulus, Laureate Institute, US
Ans Vercammen, University of Queensland, Australia
Francis Vergunst, University of Oslo, Norway
Background
Climate change represents an immediate and ongoing threat to population mental health, including traumatic stress responses. In addition to the mental health consequences of extreme weather events, the climate crisis involves the disruption and destruction of ecosystems and landscapes that support livelihoods and well-being (e.g., Augustinavicius et al., 2021). The psychological, physical, economic, and social, impacts of climate change are disproportionately felt by people already experiencing a range of adversities (e.g., Berry et al., 2018). It is imperative for mental health care providers and researchers to engage in intervention and advocacy efforts to address this ongoing crisis.
Aims
Projects developed by this network will aim to:
1. Provide conceptual clarity to the varied mental health responses to climate change,
2. Develop methods of assessing mental health in the context of climate change,
3. Develop appropriate intervention strategies with communities most impacted by climate change.
We will start with a position paper focused on the role of psychology/psychologists in the climate crisis,
as well as empirical study summarizing mental health professionals’ current practices (e.g., how often are they “treating” climate-related distress? What approaches are they using and what’s effective?)
References
Augustinavicius, J., Lowe, S. R., Massazza, A., Hayes, K., Denckla, C. A., White, R. G., Cabán-Alemán, C., Clayton, S., Verdeli, L., & Berry, H. (2021). Global climate change and trauma. International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies.
Berry, H., Waite, T. D., Dear, K. B. G., Capon, A. G., & Murray, V. (2018). The case for systems thinking about climate change and mental health. Nature Climate Change, 8(4), 282-290. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0102-4
Other resources
IPCC 6th assessment: https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/
ISTSS Briefing Paper on Climate Change and Trauma: https://istss.org/public-resources/istss-briefing-papers/briefing-paper-global-climate-change-and-trauma
2. Differential impacts of and responses to climate change
Project group
Rachel Williamson (PI), Phoebe Bean
Background and aims
The group is developing an online survey to assess prevalence, type, and impact of psychological responses to climate change, as well as coping methods and perceived effectiveness among adults. The question, “who is experiencing what?” is central to the aim, as different demographic variables (e.g., age, SES) are expected to predict different responses. The survey will collect quantitative and qualitative data. The study will pilot in Montana (US) and be refined for use with a global sample.
3. The multifaceted mental health burden of climate change
Project group
Francis Vergunst (PI), Rachel Williamson, Helen Berry, Miranda Olff
Background and aims
The goal of this paper is to present a conceptual model that describes the multifaceted mental health burden of climate change and, specifically, the functional domains that may be impacted. Empirical evidence suggests that climate change is exacerbating existing mental health conditions and creating additional challenges. The proposed model examines these layered and overlapping impacts on a dual-continuum that includes high/low dimensions of psychiatric diagnoses and psychosocial wellbeing.
Projects of interest (not exhaustive)
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Assessment and summary of mental health professionals’ current practices and experiences addressing climate-related distress.
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Empirical exploration of mortality salience as a mediating variable in the relationship between climate communication/awareness and behaviors/social-psychological responses.
Organizations and networks working on climate change and mental health
COP² is a global network of organisations generating tangible policies and actions that will strengthen our ability both to endure and to innovate and adapt to the climate crisis.
CCM
Connecting Climate Minds (CCM) Project
This is a new initiative, in partnership with the Imperial College of London and funding from the Wellcome Trust, to address the mental health impact of a changing planet. The goals are to build:
1. An inclusive and actionable research agenda that provides the evidence needed for policy and practice to safeguard mental health while enabling planetary health action, deeply grounded in the needs of people with lived experience.
2. A connected, supported and engaged community of practice (regionally and globally) with the right tools to enact this agenda, including greater capacity and knowledge sharing.
Psy4F
Psychologists for Future / Psychotherapists for Future (Psy4F) is a trans-institutional and non-party affiliated climate advocacy group of psychologists and psychotherapists contributing psychological and therapeutic expertise to meeting the challenges that are posed by the climate crisis in addition to be able to establish a sustainable future.
Stichting Klimaatpsychologie
Stichting Klimaatpsychologie is the Dutch foundation of climate psychologists with a mission! They are happy to collaborate and support global initiatives where they can.
