Rapidly increasing climate change poses a rising threat to mental health, says IPCC

A mother and son watch as firefighters battle wildfires in Shoresh, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, on Aug. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

Climate change poses serious risks to mental well-being. For the first time, a new climate report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has assessed how climate change is having widespread and cumulative effects on mental health globally.

Over the past decade, research and public interest on the effects of climate change on mental health have been increasing, as the number of individuals and communities exposed and vulnerable to climate change hazards grows.