Is the Climate Change Impact on Mental Health Acknowledged Enough?
Two recent events on 28 and 29 October, one hosted by the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), and one organised by the German Embassy to the Holy See with Caritas Internationalis, brought together diplomats, scientists, faith leaders and humanitarian actors to examine not just the environmental but also the human and psychological toll of climate change.
At both events, a new urgency was clear: climate change is not only destroying homes and harvests but also shaking people’s mental stability and sense of future. Behind every drought, flood or heatwave, participants said, there are invisible wounds — trauma, anxiety, fear, and loss of hope.
Dr. Martin Hermann, a German physician and President of the German Climate and Health Alliance, framed it starkly:
“The planet is a patient in critical condition, and like in medicine, there’s a window of time to act before recovery becomes impossible.”
His metaphor resonated far beyond the ecological crisis, it captured the psychological exhaustion of communities facing disaster after disaster without respite. Local governments and associations of doctors have a crucial role to play, especially as national governments are not doing enough. The conversations in Rome returned repeatedly to this point: climate anxiety, from the despair of displaced families to the stress felt by young climate activists, is becoming one of the defining symptoms of our age.
Climate Talk at the German Embassy to the Holy See in Rome 29 October 2025
The discussion also turned to the psychological and social consequences of climate disruption. Representatives from the Women, Faith and Climate Network shared alarming trends after climate disasters.
“Domestic and sexual violence rise after climate disasters. We call on faith-based organisations to support both mental health and spiritual resilience, addressing the growing phenomenon of climate anxiety, particularly among young people.”
Women, Faith and Climate Network
Faith-based organisations like Caritas and the International Union of Superiors General are increasingly at the forefront of connecting the dots between climate, health and mental well-being.
This urgency is evident in Bangladesh, one of the countries most affected by global warming. Despite the country’s vulnerability, major donors such as USAID have cut funding, leading to serious consequences nationwide.
In Bangladesh more than 100 development projects, worth an estimated $550 million, have been suspended following the decision to halt funding on January 20, 2025. These projects were supporting essential areas like healthcare, clean water, disaster response, education, and income opportunities.
Daud Jibon Das, Executive Director of Caritas Bangladesh, visited Rome as a keynote speaker at two conferences highlighting Caritas’ work, including a focus on mental health in humanitarian and adaptation programmes. In the interview below, Das explains how the climate crisis tests his country’s resilience daily and how emotional trauma has become as urgent as physical survival.
Daud Jibon Das, Executive Director of Caritas Bangladesh
Mr Das, for geographical reasons, Bangladesh is one of the most exposed countries in the world to climate change. Forcing people to move and rebuild their homes up to 40 times in a lifetime. How is Caritas Bangladesh working on climate resilience?
Every year, Bangladesh’s coastal areas are hit by cyclones and floods. To give an idea of the impact, I often recall what happened in 1975, when more than half a million people died in one night in the coastal regions of Bangladesh. When these calamities occur, people lose their homes, crops, livestock and sometimes their loved ones. The psychological impact is enormous. Many are traumatised and lose hope. Health is the key to recovery; without medical care and mental support, people can’t rebuild their lives. But, also, on the practical side, Caritas has built more than 5,000 flood shelters, second only to the government. They are used as schools during normal times and as safe havens during disasters. We have also developed early warning systems and provided training in first aid and community health. When people are healthy and supported, they can regain confidence and reduce their vulnerability.
Caritas Bangladesh shelter ©Ismail Ferdous – CRS
What does it mean for a breadwinner to lose everything? What is the impact on mental health?
Poverty makes everything worse. When people lose their livelihood, they also lose their confidence and sense of meaning in life. Aside from the emergency response, Caritas Bangladesh runs a microfinance programme helping nearly half a million people. We provide small loans with no collateral so families can start small businesses or rear livestock. When people can earn a living again, their stress and trauma decrease. Economic stability helps mental stability.
Women and children are especially affected. What is being done to protect them?
After every disaster, women and children are the most vulnerable. Caritas operates maternal and child health projects (RCHDP), sending trained health workers door-to-door in flood-prone and saline-affected areas. They provide medical care, nutrition advice, and psychosocial support. Recovery is not just about medicine — it’s about helping families feel safe again.
Despite its own domestic struggles, Bangladesh hosts over one million Rohingya migrants. Mental health is often the most invisible aspect of the crisis. How is Caritas addressing it?
Mental health is a huge challenge. After each cyclone or flood, people live in fear of the next one. Among the one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, trauma runs deep; many have lost everything and live with constant anxiety. In the Rohingya refugee camps, there are thousands of sleepless mothers not knowing what the future of their children is going to be like. Caritas is now integrating psychological and psychosocial support into all our humanitarian programmes. We train local teams to identify trauma and provide counselling. Healing the mind is as important as rebuilding homes. Without it, people cannot move forward.
by Susan Dabbous, Caritas Internationalis Editorial and Media Officer
Watch the video of Caritas Bangladesh work on the islands and the coastal regions