Well-Being Incubator: Workshop - Climate Change and Mental Health - An Urgent Challenge

28/03/2023 to 28/03/2023

University of Murcia, University of Birmingham, University of Nantes Online EUniWell-Event

A workshop in the framework of the EUniWell Well-Being Research Incubator aimed at exploring the impact of climate change on mental health and how to tackle it.

People protesting with a sign that reads "Stop denying - Earth is dying".

Anthropogenic climate change is an unquestionable reality. The scientific consensus on its evolution and effects, as well as its causes, is almost unanimous, and the importance of acting to prevent a global temperature increase of more than 2 degrees Celsius is recognised by almost all governments. Recognition of this reality has been accompanied by a greater understanding of the multifactorial nature of the phenomenon, which also explains the extent of its impact on virtually all facets of human life: from politics to health to economics. 

Among the various aspects of public health analysed we can find mental health (G. Hayward & Ayeb-Karlsson 2021; Kelman et al. 2021). It seems common sense to assume that a global, multifactorial process with extreme consequences should have some impact on the mental health of those affected. But the truth is that, at this point we are still not able to account for the extent of this impact. The study of the effects of climate change on mental health is in its early stages of development and studies are still scarce and partial (Cianconi et al. 2020; Romanello et al. 2021).

Studies have for instance shown that children and young people are at particular risk due to their developmental, socio-physical and psychological life stage (Vergunst and Berry 2021; Ribero and Silva 2021; Börner 2023) and eco-anxiety has been a driving concept to explore affective responses to the climate emergency (Leger-Goodess 2022; Hickman et al. 2021).

This workshop will be organised by academics from several European universities who have been working independently on the analysis of this relationship between climate emergencies and human well-being. The intention of the organisers is to explore possibilities for collaboration within the EUniWELL network, but also outside it, in order to advance the development of this new area of study. Two representatives from Wellcome will share with us their vision on the intersection between mental health, global health and climate change.

 

Programme

The workshop will be held online on 28 March 2023. The agenda is as follows:

  • 10:00 – 10:20 (CEST) / 09.00 - 09.20 (BST): Climate and Mental Health, Wellcome's Vision. 
    Speakers: Alessandro Massazza (Research Manager, Mental Health, Wellcome) and Irini Pantelidou (Research Manager, Climate and Health, Wellcome).
     
  • 10:30 – 12:00 (CEST) / 09.30 - 11.00 (BST): Panel 1: Sharing Experiences.
  1. Elaine Flores, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
  2. Susanne Boerner, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham.
  3. Gerald Jordan, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham.
  4. Juan Manuel Zaragoza, School of Philosophy, University of Murcia.
  5. Ghozlane Fleury, School of Psychology, University of Nantes.
  6. Abdel Halim Boudoukha, School of Psychology, University of Nantes.
  • 12:30 – 14:00 (CEST) / 11.30 - 13.00 (BST): Panel 2: Looking ahead: potential partnerships.

 

Further information

Zoom link: https://umurcia.zoom.us/j/92469180159?pwd=N01KZFRBNXZaTHlOL05RZGNCR2ZVdz09

ID: 924 6918 0159

Passcode: 484173

 

Contact

Juan Manuel Zaragoza (Universidad de Murcia – Spain)

Susanne Börner (University of Birmingham – UK)

Ghozlane Fleury-Bahi (Nantes Université – France)

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