New Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Climate Change and Mental Health
MPIB Director Simone Kühn is on the steering committee
Climate change threatens not only the environment, but also the mental health of people worldwide. In order to scientifically assess and effectively address this challenge, the journal The Lancet Psychiatry has launched the Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Climate Change and Mental Health.
The commission brings together international experts from the fields of psychiatry, neuroscience, environmental science, health policy, epidemiology, and public health. Specialists from more than 30 countries are involved. The commission is headed by Dr. Lasse Brandt (Charité), Dr. Jura Augustinavicius (University of Montréal), and Dr. Jurjen J. Luykx (University of Amsterdam). Prof. Dr. Simone Kühn, director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development since July 2024 and faculty member at the Charité's Department of Psychiatry since August 2025, will contribute her expertise on the effects of environmental factors on clinical populations.
The aim is to develop sound strategies for systematically integrating mental health into climate protection, adaptation, and prevention measures. A particular focus is on demographic groups that face increased risks, such as children, older people, or people in low-income regions.
The commission's work focuses on four core areas:
- Analysis of the effects of climate change on mental health
- Development of strategies to strengthen mental resilience
- Implementation of evidence-based interventions to reduce climate-related mental stress
- Economic evaluation of such measures.
In the coming years, the commission aims to create an evidence-based foundation for policy, healthcare systems, and international organizations. To this end, scientific publications and targeted recommendations for action are planned in order to anchor mental health as an integral part of global climate protection and health strategies.
Further information:
Official announcement in The Lancet Psychiatry (September 10, 2025)
