By Obiabin Onukwugha
Environmental advocacy body, Climate Africa Media Initiative Center (CAMIC), has squealed over the impact of environmental degradation on the mental health of the people.
“Environmental degradation goes beyond physical impacts,” the center’s Chief Growth Officer, Pius Alabi, said in a statement mailed to NatureNews, Thursday, October 31.
“It affects individuals’ mental health, leading to stress, anxiety, depression, and in some cases, eco-anxiety, a chronic fear of environmental doom,” he observed, explaining, “When people lose their homes, their land, or even a favorite natural space, they often feel they’ve lost a part of themselves.”
He continued: ” This form of loss can trigger a complex grieving process, often exacerbated by social and economic challenges.”
CAMIC emphadised the need for governments, healthcare systems and organizations to integrate mental health support into climate action frameworks, noting that mental well-being is just as essential as physical health in climate resilience.
“We need a collaborative response that provides individuals with mental health resources and resilience-building tools to cope with these challenges,” Alabi stated.
He added that as part of its ongoing efforts, CAMIC is committed to promoting awareness about this critical issue, fostering resilience, and advocating for policies that consider both the environmental and psychological impacts of climate change.
“By working closely with schools, NGOs and local governments, CAMIC aims to empower individuals to take action and seek support while understanding the inextricable link between environmental and mental health,” Alabi said.
The center called for urgent attention to the mental health impacts of environmental degradation, highlighting that rising climate-related stressors and environmental changes were taking a significant toll on mental well-being, particularly among vulnerable populations.
The CAMIC official said, “As our natural environment faces unprecedented challenges due to climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, there is an increasing recognition of the severe mental health consequences for people in communities.”
He noted that in many African communities where livelihoods are closely tied to land, the destruction of ecosystems and dwindling natural resources are creating a cycle of psychological distress.
