#PSYCHOLOGYANDGLOBALHEALTH
Psychology and Global Health: A Leader in Climate Action

  • Last November 15th happened in Lisbon The International Summit Psychology and Global Health.

    The summit was represented by all regions of the world, as well as commented by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, president of Portugal. To maximize impact, the summit featured presentations and workshops by respected association leaders and climate change and communications experts, as well as joint workshops led by consultants on organizational and industrial psychology. Professor José Palma de Oliveira (Faculdade de Psicologia) was one of the keynote speakers at the session about past, present and a better future on climate change.

    There is overwhelming agreement among climate scientists that climate change is occurring faster than anticipated, caused in large part by human behavior. In addition to the threats to our natural environment and physical health, climate change harms mental health and well-being. It can threaten a sense of personal and professional identity, impede social support structures, and increase feelings of helplessness, fear, and fatalism. Both acute and long-term changes in climate have been shown to contribute to the loss of social cohesion and even to elevate hostility and interpersonal and intergroup aggression.

    Psychological science not only provides solutions to encourage environmentally-friendly behaviors, it is also important in helping people adapt to climate change. Psychologists can help to build resilience, foster optimism, cultivate active coping, increase preparedness, and emphasize social connections. Health service psychologists can also provide care to people suffering from PTSD and other mental health conditions as a result of climate change-related events.

    No single association can effectively combat our global climate crisis. The international community of psychology must come together as one to mobilize our memberships, raise our voices, and implement our science in order to effect real, long-lasting societal change.

photo: ordemdospsicologos.pt

– RESOLUTION –

“WHEREAS there is overwhelming agreement among climate scientists that climate crisis poses a serious global threat, is occurring faster than previously anticipated, and is caused in part by human behavior;

WHEREAS the resistance of some individuals worldwide to accept evidence of climate crisis reflects a variety of psychological, social, economic, and political factors, including misunderstanding the relevant science; psychological threats of departing from the consensus view of one’s peer-group; deliberate exposure to misinformation; and concerns about financial losses stemming from addressing climate crisis;

WHEREAS current research and public communication on the impact of climate crisis have often emphasized the major physical damage caused by extreme weather, such as floods, droughts, hurricanes, and wildfires, and insufficiently addressed the increased displacement, migration, and conflict affecting those populations involved;

WHEREAS climate crisis has a disproportionate impact on already vulnerable groups with fewer resources, including low-income individuals or those who live in rural areas, people of color, women, children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities;

WHEREAS research shows that climate change-related events can result in major acute and chronic adverse mental health outcomes, including stress, trauma, and shock; post-traumatic stress disorder and other forms of anxiety; depression; and substance use disorder, which have been a secondary consideration in climate change communication and action;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that our psychology organizations will advocate for and support international and cross-disciplinary collaboration to mitigate and facilitate adaptation to climate crisis.

We will inform our respective members and the public about climate crisis, emphasizing scientific research and consensus on its causes and short- and long-term harms, and the need for immediate personal and societal action;

We will encourage our members and other mental health leaders to be vocal advocates concerning the necessary preparatory and responsive adaptations to climate crisis and to invest more in research and practice is this area;

We will advocate for Universities and other entities could include formation on societal challenges and, particularly, climate crisis for psychologists and other mental health professionals;

We will increase the availability of services and supportive interventions to help minimize harm to mental health and well-being, especially among vulnerable populations, and increase community resilience;

We will advocate for the rights of those most susceptible to the negative health, and mainly, mental health impacts of climate crisis, for example, by encouraging policymakers to fully fund programs to aid those who suffer harm from severe climate crisis-related events;

We will support the development of a public awareness campaign to encourage individuals and communities to adopt behaviors to help prepare for and recover from gradual climate change and acute climate crisis events;

We will encourage governmental, educational, health, and corporate leaders to use more psychological science in police designs as well as to adopt norms, values, and policy to promote sustainable preventive and corrective behaviors in individuals, groups and communities”.

SIGNED BY

American Psychological Association, Order of Portuguese Psychologists, Australian Psychological Society, Bahamas Psychological Association, Brazilian Society of Psychology, British Psychological Society, Canandian Psychological Association, Caribbean Alliance of National Psychological Associations, Chinese Psychological Society, Asian Psychological Assocation, College of Psychologists of Peru, Colombian College of Psychologists, Cuban Society of Health Psychology, Cuban Society of Psychology, European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations, Flemish Association for Clinical Psychologists, German Psychological Society, Guatemala College of Psychologists, International Association of Applied Psychology, International Council of Psychologists, International Union of Psychological Science, Jamaican Psychological Society, Japanese Psychological Association, Jordanian Clinical Psychologists Association, Lebanese Psychological Association, Mexican Psychological Society, National Psychological Association of Ukraine, New Zealand Psychological Society, Nicaraguan Association for the Development of Psychology, Nigerian Psychological Association, Norwegian Psychological Association, Order of Psychologists of Albania, Pan-African Psychology Union, Psychological Association of Namibia, Psychological Society of Kenya, Seoul National University, Spanish Psychological Association, Sri Lanka Psychological Association, Swedish Psychological Association, Uganda Council of Psychologists, Uruguayan Psychological Association and Zanzibar Professional Counselors Association.