Climate-related stressors can affect mental health both directly and indirectly. They frequently interact with existing social inequalities and increase the vulnerability of population groups that are already marginalised. In the webinar, experts from medicine, psychology, and geography will provide an overview of the links between climate change and mental health. They will also discuss specific interdisciplinary perspectives from South Africa and Germany and consider which aspects of mental health could be integrated into climate and health strategies. The panellists are:
- Professor Dr Caradee Wright, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria/South Africa
- Professor Dr Frauke Kraas, University of Cologne/Germany
- Professor Dr Simone Kühn, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin/Germany
- Professor Dr Tholene Sodi, University of Limpopo in Polokwane/South Africa
The webinar is being held in preparation for the joint workshop “Climate Change and Mental Health: Comparative Risk Pathways, Vulnerability, and Resilience”, which ASSAf and the Leopoldina will host in South Africa from 8 to 10 September. The Leopoldina works closely with the South African Academy of Sciences (ASSAf). Together they promote scientific exchange, organise symposia and workshops and participate in international networks.
