Doctors warn climate change is fuelling a “summer of anxiety”
Doctors say rising heat, air pollution and extreme weather are fuelling a “summer of anxiety” across Australia. Older people, children and regional communities are most at risk as health professionals call for mental health to be prioritised in the nation’s climate and health policies.
As Australia braces for another summer of heatwaves, droughts and extreme weather, health professionals are warning that climate change is not just an environmental issue. It is becoming a mental health emergency.
Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) have released new research showing that rising temperatures, poor air quality and extreme weather are already harming Australians’ mental wellbeing, with older people, children and rural communities most at risk.
The group will brief politicians at Parliament House this week, calling for mental health to be placed at the centre of Australia’s climate and health policies.
“Our changing climate is making both our bodies and minds sicker”
GP and DEA Executive Director Dr Kate Wylie said the physical and psychological effects of climate change are becoming impossible to ignore.
“Our changing climate is making both our bodies and minds sicker. Doctors see the clear links between climate change, physical illness, and mental health,” Dr Wylie said.
“Conditions like asthma and heart disease, both worsened by rising temperatures and pollution, are closely tied to anxiety and depression.”
Dr Wylie said the impacts extend across generations, affecting mothers, children and older Australians alike.
“Even witnessing a parent in danger during a disaster can cause PTSD in children. The effects can last well into adulthood.”
Heat, isolation and mental strain
For many older Australians, the combination of heat stress, air pollution and disrupted health services can make existing health problems worse. Aged care residents and home care clients are particularly vulnerable during extreme weather events, which can also affect staff availability and community support.
Child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Cybele Dey said the evidence linking hotter days with mental distress is growing stronger every year.
“Hotter days are linked with more suicides, more domestic violence and more mental health emergencies,” Dr Dey said.
“In Australia, even mild heat has been shown to increase suicidal distress among young people, with more presenting to emergency departments the hotter it becomes.”
She said rural and regional communities face particular risks.
“People in rural and remote areas, especially farmers, are particularly vulnerable as they face both more extreme weather and limited access to care. We need to recognise that climate adaptation is mental health prevention. Safe, cool homes, trustworthy information, and local mental health care for the long term can save lives.”
A call for meaningful action
DEA says mental health impacts can be reduced through stronger climate policies, investment in community resilience and better planning for extreme weather. The updated report highlights that by 2050, the mental health effects of climate change could become severe if urgent action is not taken.
“We can reduce climate distress by showing meaningful action to protect people from heat and extreme weather now and by rejecting new and extended fossil fuel projects,” Dr Wylie said.
The Parliamentary Friends of Climate Action group, co-chaired by Zali Steggall MP, Jerome Laxale MP and Senator Maria Kovacic, will host the Canberra event, which aims to strengthen collaboration between health experts and policymakers.
As the country heads into what doctors are calling a “summer of anxiety,” the message is clear: protecting mental health means protecting the climate too.
