Report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change: implications for the mental health policy of children and adole
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REVIEW
Report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change: implications for the mental health policy of children and adolescents in Europe—a scoping review Vera Clemens1 · Eckart von Hirschhausen2 · Jörg M. Fegert1,3 Received: 16 March 2020 / Accepted: 3 August 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Climate change is a worldwide challenge. Its consequences do encompass severe threats not only for the existence and somatic health, but also for the mental health of children and adolescents. Mental health can be impaired by three types of consequences. Direct consequences of climate change, such as natural disasters and indirect consequences, such as loss of land, flight and migration, exposure to violence, change of social, ecological, economic or cultural environment. Moreover, the increasing awareness of the existential dimension of climate change in children and adolescents can influence their wellbeing or challenge their mental health. Consequences of climate change for somatic health may interact with mental health or have psychological sequelae in children and adolescents. Based on the estimates by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we have summarized current data on these differential pathways as to how climate change affects the mental health of children worldwide through selective literature research on Pubmed. Mental health sequelae of direct and indirect consequences of climate change, increased awareness and physical health problems caused by climate change are presented. We give insights into special vulnerabilities of children and adolescents and identify high-risk groups. As the “Fridays for Future” movement has been initiated in northern Europe, we will discuss these results with a focus on children and adolescents in Europe. The results indicate that climate change is a serious threat to children and adolescent mental health. Children´s rights, mental health and climate change should not continue to be seen as separate points; instead, they need to be brought together to address this major challenge determining the future of our children and their descendants. Keywords Climate change · Global warming · Mental health · Children and adolescents · Psychological consequences
Introduction Climate change is a worldwide challenge that goes along with existential threats especially for future generations— today’s children, adolescents and their descendants. However, climate change will not only threaten the existence of future generations, it may also cause major implications * Vera Clemens vera.clemens@uni‑ulm.de 1
Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/ Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Steinhövelstr. 5, 89073 Ulm, Germany
2
Scientist for Future/Foundation Healthy Planet, Healthy People, Berlin, Germany
3
European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP) Board Member, Head of the Policy Division of ESCAP, Ulm, Germany
towards the mental health of today’s and future children and adolescents. Climate change can affect mental health in three
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