When we think about climate change, we often think about rising temperatures, wildfires, flooding, or extreme weather. We talk about the damage to homes, infrastructure, and the environment.What we don’t talk about enough is its impact on mental health.
At Across Boundaries, we know that mental health is shaped by more than individual experiences. It is influenced by the conditions in which people live, work, and connect with their communities. Climate change intersects with many of those conditions, making it not only an environmental issue, but also a mental health and equity issue.
The recent wildfire seasons across Canada illustrate this clearly. Although First Nations represent about five per cent of Canada’s population, they account for a disproportionate share of wildfire evacuations. Repeated displacement, disrupted access to healthcare and education, and separation from land and community can have lasting impacts on mental health and well-being.
Many Black and racialized communities experience different, but equally important, climate-related challenges. Poor housing can make it difficult to stay safe during extreme heat. Neighbourhoods with fewer green spaces and higher levels of pollution often experience greater health risks. Financial insecurity can make it significantly more difficult to recover from floods, storms, or prolonged power outages.
Long-standing social and systemic inequities shape these realities. Climate change magnifies them.
Research suggests that more than 700,000 Canadians experience severe climate anxiety. People who have directly experienced climate-related disasters report significantly higher levels of psychological distress, with Indigenous Peoples experiencing some of the highest levels of climate-related anxiety in Canada.
Research from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) also highlights the lasting mental health impacts of climate-related disasters. Following floods, approximately 20% of people develop depression, 28% experience anxiety, and 36% develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
These statistics remind us that climate emergencies are not only environmental crises. They are also mental health crises.
Moving forward together
Understanding climate change through an equity lens helps us move beyond asking who is affected to asking why some communities bear a greater burden than others, and what we can do to change that.
Climate anxiety is a valid response to the world we are living in today. Responding to it requires more than individual coping strategies. It requires communities, organizations, and systems that address both mental health and the inequities that shape it.
At Across Boundaries, we remain committed to providing culturally responsive, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive mental health care while advocating for healthier, more equitable communities. As climate change continues to affect our lives, we must ensure that our response addresses not only the environmental impacts, but also the mental health and systemic inequities that determine who is most affected.
Sources
How does climate change impact mental health? | CAMH
Mental Health and Climate Change | Climate Atlas of Canada
How common is severe climate change anxiety in Canada? Study offers a glimpse
