June 12, 2022

How is climate change affecting our mental health?

27 minutes

We often talk about the physical costs of climate change; the economic fallout, the effect on livelihoods and damage to the earth. But all of the changes to our world caused by global warming will have an effect on our minds, our mental health too.

Earlier this year the mental health challenges caused by rising temperatures and extreme weather events were spotlighted in a report by the UN’s climate science body, the IPCC.

Anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even suicide, are all predicted to increase as the world heats up. Jordan Dunbar looks at what this means for people living on the front line of climate change, including examples from Nigeria, India and the Philippines.

Joining Jordan to discuss the mental health challenges facing a warming world are:

Dr Brandon Gray – Clinical Psychologist, World Health Organisation

Dr Gesche Huebner Senior Researcher University College London, Energy Institute

Dr Paolo Cianconi Psychiatrist Catholic University of Rome, Department of Neurosciences

Presenter: Jordan Dunbar

Reporter: Rajesh Joshi

Producer: Jordan Dunbar and Sarah Wild

Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill, Siobhan Reed

Series Producer: Alex Lewis

Sound Engineer: James Beard

Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

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By BBC World Service

4.4

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