Climate Change and Mental Health

Climate Change 

The term ‘climate crises’ refers to the sum of environmental issues we face today, including emerging threats due to climate change, which require immediate action to prevent permanent damage.1 Climate change has been defined by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a “long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional, and global climates”.2 Although temperature shifts can be natural, human activities such as fossil fuel burning have led to increased greenhouse gas emissions, which cause the Earth’s average temperature to rise and are major contributors to global warming.3

The effects of climate change are now irreversible, and scientists predict even more severe consequences including droughts, flooding, wildfires, water scarcity, rising sea levels, melting glaciers, catastrophic storms, loss of biodiversity, and more.3,4 The Government of Canada characterizes the climate crisis as arguably the largest looming threat to the public health of Canadians and people around the world.5 The challenges seen globally are also interlinked with other societal consequences economically, politically, and culturally, including among others, globalisation, capitalism, consumerism, racism, and inequalities.6,7

How is Climate Change Affecting Mental Health? 

Climate change may directly or indirectly impact psychological wellbeing as it is heavily influenced by environmental, social, and public health factors.8 In the last decade, studies linking climate change and mental health have emerged, suggesting that the effects of climate change can have acute (severe weather events that directly expose vulnerable and defenseless individuals to mental injuries) or chronic (large-scale social and community impacts, including outbreaks of violence, struggles over scarce resources, displacement and forced migration, post-disaster adaptation, and long-term environmental stress) effects.9 Individuals struggle to maintain optimism in the face of a progressively pessimistic future and feelings of grief, helplessness, and hopelessness have been reported.10

• Direct impact: Individuals directly exposed to climate hazards and extreme weather events, such as extreme heat, drought, or floods, which can result in personal injury, loss of loved ones, and property damage, can experience acute and chronic traumatic stress (i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse).11
• Indirect impact: Climate change may indirectly impact someone’s wellbeing through exposure to air pollution and disease, weakened infrastructure, and food insecurity, which can influence outcomes like stress and anxiety.12  
• Individuals indirectly witnessing others being impacted or exposed to natural disasters via media outlets also experience emotional distress such as stress, anxiety, and depression.10,13 

“Psychoterratic Syndromes” or “Earth Emotions” 

“Psychoterratic syndromes” encompasses various mental conditions that can be conceptualized as “Earth emotions.”15 Three emotional responses have been identified in relation to the ecological and environmental change: 

• Eco-anxiety: a generalized worry about the uncertainty of the future with respect to climate change. It is the feeling of anxiety caused by being constantly surrounded by threats from the climate crisis. 
• Eco-paralysis: the feeling of being paralyzed due to the inability to take effective meaningful action to positively influence environmental change. 
• Eco-grief: a feeling of grief associated with the loss of ecosystems and altered landscape. It can also be experienced as a loss of environmental knowledge, which is an erosion of personal and communal sense of cultural identity.16

These are not diagnosable mental illnesses but are natural responses to what is happening to the world and are commonly experienced.  

Why is it Important to Address the Impact on Mental Health Among Post-Secondary Students? 

A national survey showed that 78% of young Canadians aged 16-25 indicate that climate change affects their overall mental health, and 37% say that their feelings about climate change negatively impact their daily functioning (eating, concentrating, work, school, sleeping, spending time in nature, playing, having fun, relationship).17

The youth have had the smallest role in causing the global climate crisis but will bear the greatest impact now and in the future. Research has shown that young people, which includes post-secondary students, are particularly vulnerable to experiencing distressing emotions caused by climate change.17

Balancing climate change concerns with academic and life success is challenging. The intersection of awareness, personal values, finding environmentally impactful work opportunities, and apprehensions about the future can heighten vulnerability to mental health issues among post-secondary students, especially those in the environmental and conservation field.18

Coping strategies for students 

It is important to recognize that engaging in the following coping strategies requires a significant investment of time, money, and resources. Many individuals facing financial insecurity, food insecurity, and other forms of hardship may not have the privilege to access these activities.  

• Nurture resilience (for further information, please refer to CICMH’s infosheet).
• Self-compassion (i.e., support mental health in general: practice good sleep and exercise, spend time in nature, practice mindfulness, express compassion, and gratitude, spend time with friends, ask for help).
• Advocacy and activism (i.e., protesting, engaging in communities, or raising awareness) can empower students to advocate for change, and influence their communities, contributing to long-term environmental solutions.
• Engaging in sustainable practices and lifestyle changes (i.e., reducing waste, conserving water, choosing local and seasonal foods, reducing meat consumption, minimizing food waste, reducing single-use plastics, or alternative transportation). 
• Connecting with like-minded peers and building social connections (i.e., joining groups/organizations that support sustainability or care about public health concerns) 
• Connect with nature (i.e., outdoor activities, wildlife observation, gardening, or going on walks in nature). 

-> What can faculty staff do to support students? 

Educators are encouraged to create a safe space for students to be able to access and express their emotions. Providing compassion and cultivating hope are important to supporting impacted students. Faculty and staff can also center the conversations around sustainable practices (sorting garbage, talking about ways of commuting, acting in small steps), know the resources available on campus, and include diverse sets of voices, especially those from marginalized communities who are impacted by climate change.19 

To learn more, please refer to the CICMH’s webinar, ‘Empowering Students to Overcome Climate Anxiety’. 

Campus spotlights 

Climate resilience workshops and seminars 

• The Waterloo Climate Institute at the University of Waterloo organizes regular events allowing students to meet people and learn more about climate change research. They organized a workshop on “Understanding our feelings about climate change: Impacts on our health”.
• Western University presented a lecture titled “How to Cope with Climate Anxiety” and looked at how the climate crisis has led people to experience PTSD and a loss of identity, and how to combat it. 
• Seneca Polytechnic College coordinates an annual Green Citizen Symposium, where participants can engage and learn about sustainability, climate resilience, and climate change. In partnership with the symposium, Seneca Polytechnic also organized a Sustainability Career Fair open to all students to discover careers in diverse sectors. 

Green spaces and wellness initiatives 

• York University opened an EcoCampus in southern Costa Rica, offering courses to students directly in the rainforest to understand the natural history and the challenges faced in the area. 
• The University of Ottawa is committed to make the campus greener by conserving and augmenting the natural environment indoors and outdoors. The green spaces “provide places for relaxation, gathering and learning; help to manage stormwater and mitigate the impacts of climate change; and generally, support a healthy campus and healthy lifestyles” for students. 

Climate action and student-led campaigns 

• Centennial College’s climate action initiative encourages the whole college community, including students, to work together to address the climate crisis. Students can act together, share innovative ideas, contribute to promoting a sustainable culture, and more. 
• Students at Humber College can join the Sustainability Squad, a student-led initiative, where they can contribute towards environmental conservation efforts. Student-led initiatives allow students to feel empowered, contributing positively to well-being, and can allow students to focus on mental health awareness initiatives and sustainability.  

 Educational courses and online resources 

• The Open Learning and Educational Support (OpenEd) at the University of Guelph offers a course on the principles of Ecopsychology and Eco Art Therapy where participants can connect with nature on a deeper level and get creative.  
• McMaster University developed an online platform named CanEMERG, offering mental health resources and tools to help manage stress and trauma associated with climate-related disasters and emergencies.  

 Partnerships with environmental organizations  

• Centennial College has a partnership with the David Suzuki Foundation, a Canadian non-profit organization working on sustainability and conserving the natural environment. A virtual event was organized for students to understand the solutions they can implement to address the climate emergency, such as participating in the City of Toronto election. 
• The University of Toronto has a partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, which is a global community conservation organization focused on understanding chimpanzees and other wildlife. This partnership allows students to find programs that suit their needs and interests.