The Unsettled but Promising Interconnection of Human Rights, Mental Health, and Climate Change

TL;DR

This paper explores how human rights courts might start recognizing the mental health effects of climate change as human rights issues.

Contribution

It highlights the need for a multifaceted approach to establish these interconnections and overcome legal obstacles.

Findings

Human rights courts may soon recognize climate change's mental health impacts as human rights issues.

Significant legal and advocacy efforts are needed to establish these interconnections clearly.

A combination of litigation, regulation, and advocacy is essential for progress.

Abstract

Human rights courts may be on the cusp of recognizing linkages between the mental health impacts of climate change and human rights. However, several significant obstacles must be overcome before human rights protections are likely to be extended to cover the mental health impacts of climate change. Thus, the push for recognition of human rights protections for people facing mental health harms imposed by climate change must be pursued along with a multifaceted effort that employs regulatory and advocacy strategies alongside litigation, and more clearly establishes the interconnections between mental health, climate change, and human rights.