Reducing the impact climate change has on mental health requires action at the individual, community and system/policy levels. Efforts should focus on slowing the rate of climate change and its related mental health problems and supporting strategies to adjust to and cope with the risks of climate change. 49 Building individual and community resilience is key – providing people with supports to help manage their climate-related stress and anxiety can help lessen the overall impact of climate change on mental health. Individual and collective action to address climate change can also help to support good mental health. For example, taking part in meaningful activities can help people manage climate-related stress and anxiety. 50
Below are a few examples of individual, community and system/policy-level actions that can help people lessen and adjust to climate change–related mental health problems.
Individual
- Learn to adapt to changing environments and build emotional resiliency by acknowledging the threats of climate change; learning coping strategies; accessing mental health supports if needed; encouraging optimism, hope and mental wellness; making behavioural and lifestyle changes (e.g., preserving nature, reducing one’s own climate impact); and strengthening relationships and connections. 51
- Develop a personal/family climate-emergency plan and kit. 52
- Support, organize and vote for climate change solutions. 53
- Engage with young people by empowering them, acknowledging and validating their concerns and creating safe spaces for them to discuss climate change and their emotions. 54
Community
- Develop climate change resiliency plans that include strategies to address quality of life. 55
- Build resilience and improve strategies to adjust to and cope with the risks of climate change by creating a sense of community (e.g., building parks and mutual aid networks), addressing health and social inequities, updating physical infrastructure and enhancing access to nature. 56
- Develop disaster response/emergency preparedness plans and communications strategies. Include strategies that address mental health and well-being. 57
- Train all health care professionals and first responders to provide mental health first aid in response to climate disasters. 58
- Include community members when developing climate change resiliency and emergency preparedness plans. 59
- Make sure climate response plans are culturally relevant (e.g., work with Indigenous communities to ensure Indigenous knowledge and wisdom are included in climate resiliency and adaptation strategies). 60
- Increase training on climate change for mental health professionals, teachers and other professionals who work with young people. 61
System and policy
- Make sure mental health is included in system-level and regional climate vulnerability and adaptation assessments (e.g., acknowledge the populations at risk for climate change–related mental health problems and address specific actions to protect mental health). 62
- Address the root causes of climate change–related mental health problems, as well as ways to reduce and respond to current and predicted mental health needs (e.g., building resiliency). A health equity lens (i.e., evaluating for inequitable health impacts) can guide this work. 63
- Ensure access to culturally relevant mental health care and other forms of assistance (e.g., financial) are readily available, particularly in response to climate crises. 64
- Include community members, people with lived experience of climate change and young people in conversations and decision making around climate change and mental health. 65