Co-Creating a Resilient Future: Risk Factors, Vulnerabilities and Inequalities - Climate Change and Mental Health Series

Highlights

1. Climate change–driven gender-based violence and mental health problems are gender sensitive, especially in developing countries where coping strategies are limited by resource deficiencies.
2. Insufficient mental health support is negatively impacting the mental well-being of young individuals and children, particularly in the face of climate change impacts and disaster occurrences.
3. Water insecurity (including dry conditions or floods) that hampers access and availability is a major risk factor for mental health. It is more so for women and girls, especially in rural areas where they are often responsible for provisioning water. 
4. Climate change is disproportionately harming the mental health of marginalized and vulnerable populations, including migrants and displaced populations.
5. Integrating mental health into climate change adaptation, mitigation and disaster recovery efforts remains key to reducing the risk of mental health problems.

This Policy Brief is the second in a series of three from the United Nations University - Climate Resilience Initiative (hosted by UNU institutes in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands) proposing recommendations on the impact of climate change on mental health and well-being. The first policy brief of the series outlines the current, global state of affairs; the second assesses the risks that intensify the impact on mental health; and the third identifies policy opportunities and solutions.