It's estimated that 3.6 billion people are now living in places that are "highly susceptible to climate change," according to the World Health Organization. Climate change is expected to exacerbate a variety of problems like malaria, malnutrition, and heat stress, which are predicted to lead to the deaths of about a quarter million (more) people every year from 2030 to 2050. A new study has shown that rising temperatures will probably also cause more behavioral and mental disorders.
Reporting in Nature Climate Change, researchers suggested that the burden of these disorders could rise by as much as 50% in Australia by 2050. The report noted that more efforts should be made now to safeguard mental health.
The conclusions from this study focused on Australia, but the rest of the world will still be affected by climate change, and this work could also apply to other regions.
The study indicated that rising temperatures are already causing about 8,458 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to be lost annually. This represents as estimated 1.8% of the current burden of mental health disorders in Australia.
"The detrimental impacts of climate change on good mental health and emotional states have been increasingly recognized worldwide, and it's only going to get worse unless we act," said corresponding study author Professor Peng Bi of the University of Adelaide.
The mental health disorders that could occur at higher rates in a warmer world include disorders that are related to increased levels of distress, or disruptions in functional regions of the brain, such as areas affecting cognition, emotional regulation, or behavioral changes. Some examples include alcohol or substance abuse, anxiety, bipolar affective disorder, depression, or schizophrenia. People aged 15 to 44 would be especially affected; people in this age range are expected to experience more issues with their mental health.
"From mild distress to serious conditions like schizophrenia, rising temperatures are making things harder for millions," Bi noted.
Parts of Australia that will get warmest, such as areas that are closer to the equator, are also expect to experience more impacts.
"Our findings show that climate change will drive up mental health challenges beyond what population growth alone would cause," said first study author Dr. Jingwen Liu. "Young people, who often face these issues early in life, are especially at risk as the climate crisis worsens."
Now, policymakers should work to protect the public. "This isn't just about health—it's about building stronger, more resilient communities for the future," added Bi.
Sources: University of Adelaide, Nature Climate Change