WHO calls on Europe to make mental health part of climate action
Countries across Europe should build mental health support into climate policies and emergency planning as climate change takes a growing psychological toll, especially on young people, a new WHO/Europe report says, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The report, titled “Strengthening mental health in a changing climate: insights from interventions across the WHO European Region”, was released on November 10 by the WHO European Centre for Environment, Climate Change and Health. Its publication coincided with the United Nations Climate Change Conference currently underway in Antalya, Türkiye.
According to the report, people do not have to live through a flood or wildfire to be affected. Anxiety about the planet’s future alone can cause distress, disturb sleep and interfere with daily routines. Extreme heat can worsen existing mental health conditions, while direct exposure to floods and wildfires is linked to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Slower changes, such as environmental degradation and lost livelihoods, can lead to chronic stress.
Young people, who are expected to bear the brunt of climate impacts, are particularly vulnerable. The report cites a survey published in The Lancet Planetary Health, which found that up to 65% of young respondents in Finland, France, Portugal and the United Kingdom worried about climate change, and up to 37% said it harmed their ability to function. The 2021 study surveyed 10,000 people aged 16 to 25 across ten countries, including Australia, Brazil, India, Nigeria, the Philippines and the U.S.
Dr. Ledia Lazeri, Regional Adviser for Mental Health at WHO/Europe, said worry, anger or sadness about climate change can be understandable reactions to a real threat and do not in themselves indicate a mental disorder.
“But when distress becomes overwhelming, affects daily life or leaves people feeling powerless, support matters”, she said, adding that young people need help building resilience and turning concern into meaningful action, while those requiring professional care should be able to access it.
The report reviews 20 interventions in 15 countries of the WHO European Region, covering both climate-related distress and psychosocial support after extreme weather, mainly floods.
In Slovenia, the response to the 2023 floods united government bodies, health workers, humanitarian groups and local communities. Mobile mental health teams, hotlines, community activities and practical aid reached thousands of households, with support continuing after the emergency phase in recognition that psychological recovery often outlasts physical cleanup.
In Estonia, the Estonian Green Movement led the “Coping with Climate Anxiety” project with partners from three other European countries. The initiative produced training for youth workers, peer-support guidance, self-help workbooks and workshops for people aged 16 to 25, focusing on understanding emotions and building coping skills rather than treating climate anxiety as a disorder.
Despite rising awareness, the report finds that responses across the region remain fragmented, with gaps in evidence, program design and evaluation. It calls for clearer guidance on when community-based support is sufficient and when specialized care is needed, and points to schools, community initiatives and nature-based activities as promising tools for strengthening resilience.
Francesca Racioppi, Head of the WHO European Centre for Environment, Climate Change and Health, said public attention tends to focus on visible impacts such as heat-related emergencies, flood injuries and wildfire damage.
“However, psychological trauma related to being a victim or witnessing extreme weather events can be just as disruptive, and the impacts may persist long after an emergency has ended”, she said. “Climate action and mental health protection need to go hand in hand”.
The new report builds on earlier WHO work. In June 2022, WHO launched a policy brief at the Stockholm+50 conference concluding that climate change poses serious risks to mental health and urging countries to include mental health support in their climate response.
WHO/Europe’s second European Programme of Work for 2026–2030 names climate and health action, along with promoting mental health and well-being throughout life, among its key strategic priorities.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that an independent review commissioned by the UK government urged England to stop relying on a formal diagnosis as the main route to support for people with mental health conditions, ADHD and autism.