A new report by the UK Health Security Agency has found that climate change is negatively affecting mental health in the UK today.
The report by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), a government agency responsible for all health security in England, says an increasing awareness of the long-term impacts of climate change is leading to increased anxiety about the future, particularly among children and young people.
The effects of extreme weather, such as flooding and heat, are the biggest climate-related issues affecting mental health in the UK today, the report says, with the impact particularly felt by vulnerable populations who find it increasingly difficult to access transport and healthcare services in extreme conditions.
The report finds that mental health impacts are not felt equally as farming and rural communities, those with livelihoods connected to land, and those with pre-existing health issues are at ‘heightened risk’.
Commenting on the report, Professor Lea Berrang Ford, Head of the UKHSA Centre for Climate and Health Security (CCHS), said: “Climate change is already impacting mental health, and these risks will increase as the climate warms and extreme weather events become more frequent and severe.”
“Climate warming will exacerbate mental health inequalities, with impacts greatest on rural and agricultural communities and young people. There are practical and effective steps government and social care organisations can take to ensure adequate protection and support.”
In a global survey published by The Lancet Planetary Health, findings from the UK showed that 50% of 1,000 children reported feeling extremely worried about climate change.
Some respondents across all 10 countries surveyed also said climate change affected their daily lives and made them hesitant to have children due to concerns about their future quality of life.