National stakeholder consultation workshop on climate change and mental health in India
The Analysis and Sangath’s Bhopal hub organised a one-day National stakeholder consultation and agenda setting workshop on climate change and mental health in India on 22 March 2024 in Bhopal. The workshop brought together more than 10 experts representing institutions and organisations including NIMHANS, NCDS, SEWA, UNICEF, PRADAN, UNDP, Health Care Without Harm, the State Health Resource Centre (Government of Madhya Pradesh), and Makhanlal Chaturvedi University.
Through two technical presentations and three panel discussions, participants explored the links between climate change and mental health, the gendered impacts on marginalized communities, water security and children's health, and opportunities for collaboration, financing and community engagement.
The workshop aimed to bring together stakeholders to discuss the growing mental health implications of climate change and identify areas for coordinated action. It provided a platform for experts to share evidence, discuss challenges and explore how policies, public health programmes and community-level initiatives could respond to the interconnected impacts of climate change and mental health.
Discussions highlighted the need to understand how climate-related risks affect different population groups, particularly marginalized communities, and to strengthen collaboration between institutions working on climate change, health and social development.
The workshop featured two technical presentations and three panel discussions. Dr. Naveen from NIMHANS and Praveen Ganganna from NCDS presented perspectives on mental health issues, emerging climate change trends and their increasing effects on human health. NCDS also highlighted its work on climate change and health policies, emphasising the importance of public awareness and community engagement.
The first panel discussion brought together Susan Thomas from SEWA, Narendra Chouhan from UNICEF and Archana Singh from PRADAN. The panellists discussed evidence linking climate change and mental health from both policy and field perspectives. Key themes included the gendered impacts of climate change on marginalised groups and the relationship between water security and children's health.
The second panel featured Naman Gupta from UNDP, Chandan Khanna from Health Care Without Harm, Upadhyay Preeti from the State Health Resource Centre, Government of Madhya Pradesh, and Dr. Ashish Joshi from Makhanlal Chaturvedi University. Discussions focused on opportunities for collaboration to address climate change and its mental health implications, sources of financial support for climate and health programmes, the role of state agencies in programme implementation, decentralisation and community awareness.
The consultation created a platform for cross-sectoral dialogue on climate change and mental health in India. By bringing together experts from research, government and civil society, the workshop highlighted the importance of integrating mental health into climate and health discussions, recognising the specific vulnerabilities of marginalised communities, and strengthening institutional collaboration and community engagement.
