How does climate change affect the mind? Extreme heat, wildfires, storms, air pollution and droughts, are already affecting human health by increasing physical strain, worsening living conditions and intensifying existing vulnerabilities. While these impacts are increasingly recognized in relation to physical health, the consequences for mental health remain insufficiently understood, and are still underrepresented in research, policy, and public discourse. What is the relationship between climate change and mental health, and how can this be addressed adequately in strategies of adaptation and mitigation, such as climate action plans?
The webinar “From Planetary Change to Psychological Impact: Understanding and Responding to the Mental Health Effects of Climate Change” opens the discussion on this emerging field by bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives from South Africa and Germany. It explores how climate-related environmental changes can affect mental health through direct and indirect pathways, examines the interaction between environmental stressors and vulnerabilities, and discusses what these developments mean for climate adaptation, public health systems, and mental health services.
The webinar forms part of the ongoing collaboration between the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. The online event served as a prelude to the joint workshop and public panel discussion “Climate Change and Mental Health: Comparative Risk Pathways, Vulnerability, and Resilience” to be held in South Africa from 8–10 September 2026.
Moderation: Dr. Anna Carthaus, Science Journalist & Health Editor, DIE ZEIT, Germany
As part of the Leopoldina International Virtual Panel Series, the webinar provides a platform for dialogue and critical reflection: exploring one of the most urgent yet often overlooked challenges of our time – the links between climate change and mental health.