Climate change
Theme leaders: Rachel Williamson and Jura Augustinavicius
Please contact the theme leaders if you would like to initiate new projects or have other ideas about global collaboration related to this topic. You can also directly submit your project proposal here.
The climate crisis represents a unique and far-reaching type of stressor that is adversely affecting population mental health and wellbeing. The impacts of climate change 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.
Working with populations most impacted by the climate crisis, research is needed to better understand and assess mental health and wellbeing in the context of the climate crisis and to identify and test appropriate assessment and intervention strategies.
Projects under this theme aim to:
1. Provide conceptual clarity to the varied psychological responses to climate change,
2. Develop methods of assessing mental health and wellbeing in the context of climate change,
3. Develop appropriate intervention strategies with communities most impacted by climate change
Join the climate change 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. Project suggestions and new collaborators are welcome (CAW)!
Current network members
Rachel Williamson (PI), University of Montana, USA
Jura Augustinavicius, McGill University, Canada
Andrés Barrera Patlan, Canada
Phoebe Bean, University of Montana, USA
Gary Belkin, Harvard, USA
Helen Berry, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Australia
Fiona Charlson, University of Queensland, Australia
Susan Clayton, Wooster College, USA
Hannah Comtesse, Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany
Ashlee Cunsolo, Memorial University, Canada
Lani Cupo, Canada
Christy Denckla, Harvard, US
Michel Dückers, ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre/University of Groningen, Netherlands
Christine Gibson, Canada
Carolina Gonzalez, University of Southern Queensland, Australia
Jetske van Heemstra, ARQ Cetrum '45, Netherlands
Sara Helmink, chairwoman Stichting Klimaatpsychologie, Netherlands
Dan Jenkins, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Jinhee Hyun, Daegu University, South Korea
Oj Jiaqing, University of Macau, Macao
Samuel Jinadu, CSDevNet, Nigeria
Ashraf Kagee, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Tarandeep Kang, University of Warwick, UK
Melina Kappeyne van de Coppello-Rakic chairman of the Board of Directors, ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Netherlands
Brittany King, University of Montana, USA
Ahlke Kip, University of Münster, Germany
Josianne Lamothe, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada
Emma Lawrance, Imperial College London, UK
Sarah Lowe, Yale School of Public Health, USA
Alessandro Massazza, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
Kelton Minor, Columbia University, Data Science Institute
Tulsi Modi, Planetary Health Alliance, USA
Jessica Newberry Le Vay, Imperial College London, UK
Nick Obradovich, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, USA
Janne Punski-Hoogervorst
Meaghan O'Donnell, University of Melbourne, Australia
Miranda Olff, Amsterdam UMC & ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Netherlands
Larry Palinkas University of Southern California, USA
Janne Punski-Hoogervorst, Haifa University, Israel
Jennifer Robohm, University of Montana, USA
Joe Ruzek, Palo Alto University/Stanford University, USA
Debra Safer, Stanford University, USA
Ans Vercammen, University of Queensland, Australia
Francis Vergunst, University of Oslo, Norway
Britt Wray, Stanford University, USA
Projects
Climate change and mental health – A dual-continuum complete state framework
Francis Vergunst (PI), Rachel Williamson, Alessandro Massazza, Helen Berry, Miranda Olff
Mental health and psychological wellbeing co-vary but they are not the same concept. Thus, while climate change may harm them both, it does so via different risk pathways with commensurately different effects. This conceptual review provides a framework for better understanding how health and wellbeing are related, how each is affected by climate change, how these complex pathways may interact and the range of outcomes that may eventuate from increasing mental disorders to lowered wellbeing.
This paper argues that a dual continuum framework offers a more nuanced approach to evaluating climate change impacts on mental health by considering mental disorders and subjective wellbeing simultaneously. This is because mental disorders and subjective wellbeing are conceptually and empirically distinct, with different climate-related antecedents and mental health endpoints, and both are necessary to evaluate the full burden of climate change.
Status: completed
Vergunst, F., Williamson, R., Massazza, A., Berry, H. L., Olff, M., Williamson, R., Massazza, A., Berry, H. L., & Olff, M. (2024). A dual-continuum framework to evaluate climate change impacts on mental health. Nature Mental Health, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-024-00326-x
Training Climate-Aware Clinicians: Suggestions for Providing Psychological Care in a Changing Climate
Rachel Williamson, Joe Ruzek, Jiaqing O, Britt Wray, Debra Safer, Janne Punski-Hoogervorst, Jennifer Robohm, Jinhee Hyun
The nature, breadth, and scope of the climate emergency and related ecosystem crises require a reexamination of the roles of mental health professionals and, consequently, a reexamination of the programs and experiences that prepare trainees for clinical work. In this paper, we argue that mental health training includes an explicit focus on the development of core competencies that empower trainees to: (1) adapt and develop assessment and intervention strategies to be ‘climate-aware’ (i.e., to address the mental health impacts of climate-related global stressors); (2) include community adaptation and resilience as therapeutic goals with individuals, groups, and organizations; and (3) engage in an expanded scope of professional responsibilities. We offer specific, albeit preliminary, suggestions for defining and incorporating these competencies.
Status: Manuscript in preparation.
Sonar cities - EU Horizon Project
Contact: Michel Dückers
Project leader: Tamara Giles-Vernick
Partners: Institute Pasteur, France; Medical University of Vienna, Autria; Austrian Red Cross, Austria; Nivel, Netherlands; University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Safety Region Groningen, Netherlands; Mental Health Europe, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; University of Zagreb, Croatia; University of Udine, Italy; Swedish Defence University, Sweden.
- This project will engage within communities, vulnerable groups, societal groups, companies, governments to learn in a qualitative way what people are more or less vulnerable in the light of climate change and other disasters.
- The project will look for patterns and work on solutions that would be tested in each of the countries.
- Components of the project include toolkit development, testing solutions, and dissemination.
Opportunities for collaboration:
- Reciprocal exchange between the project and the group in preparation.
- Connecting with Brittany King (and team) about measuring climate change exposures more comprehensively.
Status: Starting up
Nature-Based Interventions for Trauma Recovery:
A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Efficacy of Hiking with and without Therapeutic Support
Project leader: Mariana Gonçalves, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
Project group: Mariana Gonçalves, Ana Lúcia Silva, Chris Hoeboer, Miranda Olff
Nature-based interventions (NBIs), particularly those involving physical activity such as hiking, have gained increasing attention as promising, low-cost and potentially globally scalable strategies to improve mental health and reduce trauma-related distress. Evidence from recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses suggests that NBIs can reduce PTSD symptoms, depressive mood, and anxiety. The group-based interventions appear particularly beneficial for reducing stigma around trauma, enhancing emotional safety, social support, and engagement.
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a group-based hiking intervention for individuals with clinically significant PTSD symptoms,
A three-arm RCT will be conducted comparing three conditions:
1. Waitlist control (with Care as Usual after 12 weeks),
2. Hiking group with a non-therapist facilitator, and
3. Hiking group with a licensed therapist.
Status: Starting up
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
Vergunst, F., Williamson, R., Massazza, A., Berry, H. L., Olff, M., Williamson, R., Massazza, A., Berry, H. L., & Olff, M. (2024). A dual-continuum framework to evaluate climate change impacts on mental health. Nature Mental Health, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-024-00326-x
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
Measuring the Psychological Impacts of Climate Change
Brittany King, Janne Punski-Hoogervorst, Tarendeep Kang, Ahlke Kip, Dan Jenkins, Samuel Jinadu, Vaitsa Giannouli, Rachel Williamson
Aims
Part 1: Systematic Review of Existing Measures: We aim to summarize all existing measures that focus on assessing a climate change-specific psychological outcome.
Part 2: Measure Development: Using an exposure-response model, we aim to develop and validate a measure to assess both the different types of climate-related exposures and the diverse psychological responses to these exposures.
This project is looking into developing a novel scale that could be used cross-culturally to assess different types of exposures to climate change
This scale will capture the wide range of experiences people have with climate change. This would include direct, indirect, and anticipated exposures.
The scale will consist of an exposure checklist and a response checklist. The response checklist will include items for positive and negative emotional reactions to events.
Status
The project is at the stage of developing items and the constructs that are trying to be measured with the scale.
o The items will explore the different dimensions and experiences people have in relation to climate change.
o In this scale, the team would like to make a differentiation between sudden (acute) and slow onset climate events, their impacts, and how individuals are responding to these different types of events.
- The project is in the process of a systematic review to help developing the items.
- In the future, the scale will be piloted and validated it in the USA.
o The scale will also be validated in other places.
- Opportunity for collaboration:
o To provide input on the generated items for the scales.
Contact Brittany King for more info.
Clinician Reactions to Client Climate Concerns: Investigating the Existential Impact
Rachel Williamson, Brittany King
Research demonstrates the far-reaching impact of mortality reminders on attitudes and behaviors. Climate change reminders may have parallel impacts, representing a similar annihilation threat. This study aimed to assess the impact of exposure to reminders of climate change in the context of clinical work (i.e., clinicians exposed through client complaints of climate-related distress). 150 mental health care providers across the United States were randomly assigned to read one of three vignettes in which a client describes either death anxiety, climate change anxiety, or social anxiety (control). They then completed outcome measures, including client ratings, professional identity, and general affect.
US data collection complete.
Status: ongoing, collaborators are welcome (CAW).
For collaboration on replication and/or follow-up studies, contact Rachel Williamson.
Organizations and networks working on climate change and mental health
PHA
We are proud to announce that the GCTS is a formal member of the Planetary Health Alliance (PHA) a consortium of universities, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, and government entities from around the world committed to understanding and addressing global environmental change and its health impacts. We aim to collaborate on projects that directly or indirectly impact traumatic stress levels around the world.
Learn more about planetary health science, solutions, and ways to get involved (PHA).
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.
UnitedGMH
United for Global Mental Health is an international NGO working for a world where mental health support is accessible to everyone, everywhere without stigma or restrictions. Climate change, the environment, and mental health represent key areas of focus.
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.
CIRCLE | Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership and Emotional wellbeing
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of Stanford Medicine
Stanford University, USA
Director: Britt Wray
