Climate Impacts on the Mental Health and Wellness of British Columbians

published on February 27, 2021 by EIC, in The Peak

The virtual Café Scientifique examines the interconnected nature of the climate crisis and mental health

At Climate Impacts on the Mental Health and Wellness of British Columbians, the discussion on environmental degradation, mental health, and social injustices confronted the traditional narrative of the climate crisis. By identifying proactive ways to combat the climate crisis and in turn, related mental health problems, the speakers challenged school curriculums to transition from messages of pessimism to optimism.

The event featured speakers Abhay Sachal, Dr. Ashlee Cunsolo, Dr. Maya Gislason, and Elder Valerie Nicholson. A collaboration between the B.C. Centre for Excellence on HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE), Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, and SFU, the talk addressed the relationship between the climate crisis and mental health.

Overwhelming Nature of the Climate Crisis

Abhay Sachal, Break The Divide’s co-founder and executive director began his activism with the Students on Ice Foundation Arctic expedition. As Sachal observed the melting ice, he felt “inundated by feelings of hopelessness and anxiety.” Overwhelmed by the consequences of rising global temperatures, he consulted his Inuit peers to learn how they adapted. Together with his brother Sukhmeet, they founded Break The Divide to facilitate discussions between secondary students in Inuvik, the Northwest Territories, and Delta, B.C. This, he said, allowed them to feel more connected and talk about their feelings around climate change.

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BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

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Climate Impacts on the Mental Health and Wellness of British Columbians

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