Climate and health: rising to the mental health challenge of climate change

The toll climate change and extreme weather take on our mental health is under reported and significant.  

When the relationship between climate change and mental health is discussed, many assume the issue centres on ‘climate anxiety’ but, while this is a problem, the range of mental health impacts is much wider. Flooding and heatwaves can increase levels of psychological distress in the UK, causing some to develop problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. The impacts of climate change can also worsen symptoms of existing mental health conditions.  

The mental health impacts of climate change are likely to increase in severity and frequency as global temperatures continue to rise and the UK is not well prepared to deal with them.