The Issue

As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.

Robin Wall Kimmerer

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.

Click here for our resources page.

200 Million

200 million people in the US are at risk for climate-mental health issues & 64% 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.

68%

Climate change negatively impacts 68% of US Gen Zers their mental health & 75% have taken action to address 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.

75%

75% of youth worldwide
said that the future is frightening because of climate change.

25

In a survey of 12,000 university students in 32 countries, for those living in 25 of the countries, their climate anxiety leads to positive environmental behaviors and actions.

A US study found that collective climate action helped to buffer climate anxiety.

85%

85% of people worldwide have experienced more extreme weather due to climate change.

3

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

en Español

Screen Shot 2023-06-16 at 1.49.20 PM.png

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

Screen Shot 2022-07-01 at 5.25.21 PM.png

"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