AI-Enabled Mental-Health Interventions for Climate-Related Distress: A Call for Coordinated EU Policy Action

This brief assesses the emerging intersection between climate change, mental health challenges, and artificial intelligence tools across Europe. AI-driven mental health solutions such as chatbots and self-help applications are proliferating; however, none specifically target climate-related distress such as ecoanxiety, solastalgia etc. and they often operate commercially with limited ties to public health or climate adaptation systems. Unlike general anxiety, climate related mental health distress is driven by long-term environmental threats and is often chronic in nature which highlight the need for targeted intervention. Yet, this distinction is still not fully reflected in existing policies and dihgital interventions. Despite the EU AI Act and rapid digital innovation in health, integration of AI within mental health systems remains fragmented and insufficiently aligned with climate resilience planning.

The objective of this brief is to identify critical research and policy gaps in using AI to address climate-related psychological distress. We specifically reflect on four critical gaps: the divide between clinical and commercial usage, the absence of emergency safeguards under current AI governance, persistent digital inequities affecting climatevulnerable population, and ethical and data governance weaknesses. To translate these insights into tangible solutions, the brief provides an "Action Priority Matrix." This tool visually sorts recommendations by anticipated impact and implementation effort, by distinguishing immediate regulatory standards from high-effort strategies like interdisciplinary AI literacy.