On 30 October 2024, the minister of finance tabled the mid-term budget review. In it, he provided additional relief in mitigating the effects of climate change by availing an additional N$698.8 million for drought relief.
To date, more than N$1 billion has been spent by the government to attenuate the effects of climate change on vulnerable communities.
I grew up in a small town in the Kunene region. Situated in the northwestern part of Namibia, the Kunene region is one of the regions that is experiencing the brunt of climate change. And while most of the lessons in our Geography classes about the fragility of the ozone layer focused on rising sea levels, cancers and skin diseases, we were never taught that climate change would have a direct impact on our mental health.
This is an area of major concern deeply impacted by climate change, but that doesn’t always feature on mitigation agendas and conference plenary sessions. Climate change disproportionately affects the mental health of people. It can be said that there exists a positive relationship between climate change and mental health. When the climate conditions improve, so does our mental health.
Drought
Drought creates multiple pathways of vulnerabilities that directly and indirectly threaten our mental health. The American Psychiatric Association lists various consequences of climate change, ranging from mild stress and substance abuse to severely-compromised mental health, leading to mental illnesses like Major Depressive Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Drought, through the death of animals and a decrease in crop production, leads to loss of income and hunger, exacerbating poverty and demoralisation, increasing the possibilities of hopelessness and helplessness. Drought is also associated with displacement, which threatens social cohesion, which is the glue of community and relationships.
Loss or the threat of a loss of community can translate into a loss of social support that can have negative consequences for our mental health, amplifying depression and anxiety, as well as risky coping behaviours like alcohol and substance abuse. Grief and its accompanying experiences and emotions are also common when people experience loss associated with drought and climate change.
Ambient temperature and heat
Heat is another product of climate change that has a profound impact on our mental health (Rony, 2023). Rony states that prolonged exposure to heat increases the levels of stress and irritability, as well as disrupts sleep, which causes fatigue and exhaustion.
Inadequate sleep is linked with compromised health and amplified risks of development and worsening of existing mental health conditions. Last year, 2024 was reported as the hottest year on record, causing widespread and dangerous damage to the natural environment and the mental health of people.
According to Shoib et al. (2023), temperature and suicide rates are related, they found that there is a significant positive association between suicide – particularly violent suicides and suicide attempts – and an increase in temperature. Various studies conducted globally support this claim, Aguglia et al. in Shoib et al. (2023) report that a 1% increase in ambient temperature translates to a 1.1% to 2.3% increase in suicide. Some studies like that of Glacomini et al (2022) go as far as claiming that climate factors are greater determinants of suicidal behaviour than economic factors.
Intimate partner violence
Other social consequences of climate change include violent behaviour and criminality. A study conducted by the UNFPA in 2024 shows that high temperatures and heatwaves have the potential to drive up aggression and intimate partner violence (IPU). The same UNFPA study shows that the difference between climate action success and failure is 1,9 billion preventable cases of intimate partner violence between 2015 and 2060. Should temperatures increase by 4◦C, the UNFPA estimates that IPV will increase by 192% by 2060, a horrifying figure with the bulk of those impacted being girls and women.
Conclusion
Government efforts to minimise the effects of climate change are laudable. The loss of agricultural produce has translated into a loss of income and livelihood for many people and communities. However, effective mitigation requires concerted efforts that are anchored in social participation drawn from participatory consultations that lead to the formulation of holistic policies of change. People and economies cannot thrive when people’s economic and emotional traumas are not addressed.
*Alex Gomachab is a student psychologist and a mental health advocate. He also holds a marketing degree, and is the founder of the online awareness platform #Wellness and Healing. Contact him at +264812488355, or alex.gomachab@gmail.com for interviews and/or speaking engagements.