Psychological impact of climate change
People experience a wide range of emotions as they grapple with the challenge of climate change between their short-term self-interest and their longer-term community interests.
People respond to concerns about climate change in various ways: behaviorally, via acts that frequently indicate conflicting attitudes, emotionally, through affective responses, and cognitively, through assessments.
There is a wealth of research demonstrating how emotions influence people's decisions in a variety of contexts, including social issues, and can be used to distill personal experiences.
Some psychological impacts may not receive any form of treatment at all and could be productive—for example, when concern about climate change is channeled into information gathering and seeking to influence related policy with others.
[3] The psychological effects of climate may receive attention from governments and others involved in creating public policy, by means of campaigning and lobbying by groups and NGOs.
Social psychologists have published studies on people's psychological responses to climate change news,[8] such as how it might shift values away from indulgence and toward long-term thinking.
[10][11][12][13] Today, climate change remains a pressing issue, with continued research and activism underscoring the urgency for comprehensive policy responses.
As the effects of climate change become increasingly visible, the historical journey from early scientific understanding to international action highlights the critical need for ongoing engagement and solutions.
In general, populations living at sea level and in the Southern Hemisphere tend to be more exposed to economic disruption caused by climate change.
A swift response by authorities to restore a sense of order and security can substantially reduce the risk of long-term psychological impact for most people.
However, individuals already suffering from mental ill health and who do not receive the required attention when weather conditions disrupt services may face further decline.
[13][14][15][19] The single best-studied connection between weather and human behavior is that between temperature and aggression, which has been investigated in laboratory settings, by historical study, and extensive fieldwork.
[11][10][25][26] Information about the risks posed by climate change, even to those not yet directly affected by it, can cause long-lasting psychological conditions, such as anxiety or other forms of distress.
[13][27] As climate change becomes increasingly evident and threatening[29] to both the biosphere and human livelihoods, the feelings aroused in response are a focus for exploration.
The impacts of discrete events such as natural disasters on mental health have been demonstrated through decades of research showing increased levels of PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and even domestic violence following the experience of storms.
[41] This makes it difficult to give name to what one is feeling, so it is generally termed as eco-anxiety—particularly when this negative effect takes on more intense forms such as sleeping disorders and ruminative thinking.
Theoretical approaches have suggested this is due to climate change being part of a greater construct than human cognition can fully comprehend, known as a 'hyperobject.
[46] Doppelt suggested 'transformational resilience' as a property of social systems, in which adversities are catalysts for new meaning and direction in life, leading to changes that increase both individual and community wellbeing above previous levels.
As their lifestyles are often closely linked to the land, climate change directly impacts their physical health and financial stability in quantifiable ways.
[49] Inadequate government responses that neglect Indigenous knowledge further worsen the adverse psychological effects linked to climate change.
"The impacts of climate change that we are feeling today, from extreme heat to flooding to severe storms, are expected to get worse, and people least able to prepare and cope are disproportionately exposed," said EPA Administrator Michael S.
It is important to recognize how environmentalism and racism are intertwined—how the repercussions of slavery and colonialism and continuous police brutality still play a key role in climate change in communities of color.
[60] Research has shown that communities of color are less likely to have access to mental health services, less likely to seek out treatment, and more likely to receive low or poor-quality care.
These communities often reside in areas with poor air quality, proximity to industrial facilities, or vulnerable coastal regions, making them more susceptible to the adverse effects of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, and heatwaves.
[64] Additionally access to resources and opportunities for adaption and mitigation measures can be limited for marginalized communities, hindering their ability to cope with the impacts of climate change effectively.
The psychological toll on people of color is significant, as they experience not only the direct impacts of climate change but also the stress and anxiety arising from systemic inequalities.
The World Health Organization states that more than 88% of the existing burden of disease attributable to climate change occurs in children younger than 5 years.
Meaning-focused coping involves behaviors such as identifying positive information, focusing on constructive sources of hope, and trusting that other people are also doing their part.
[11][15][13][77][46]Psychologists have increasingly been assisting the worldwide community in facing the "diabolically" [note 2] difficult challenge of organizing effective climate change mitigation efforts.
For example, Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, who led the efforts to organize the unprecedentedly successful 2015 Paris Agreement, have since campaigned to spread the view that a "stubborn optimism" mindset should ideally be part of an individual's psychological response to the climate change challenge.
