conv.

All stories
ClimateQuiet 30h · day 3

Climate losses tied to mental health, culture need policy measurement

Psychologist Manasi Kumar argues climate damage assessment must capture psychological and cultural harm, not just economic loss.

newest coverage 1d agosummary written 2d ago4 pieces63 likes & upvotes NewswiresBlueskyMastodon

What to know

  • Climate damage extends beyond measurable economic loss to include mental-health, cultural, and identity harm—areas largely absent from current policy frameworks.
  • Fieldwork with coastal communities in Kenya and salt workers in India reveals climate change erodes intergenerational knowledge, traditions, and sense of belonging alongside livelihoods.
  • Existing climate adaptation policies address coping and resilience but fail when communities cannot adapt—such as fishing groups whose way of life becomes unsustainable.
  • COP31 negotiations in November offer a moment for governments to develop ways to assess and address non-economic climate losses.

“People speak about losing their sense of belonging. They worry that their children will grow up disconnected from the places that have defined their families for generations.”

Manasi Kumar, Clinical psychologist and professor of population health, NYU · Nature News ↗ · Sep 20

Manasi Kumar Clinical psychologist and professor of population health, NYU

Climate losses tied to mental health, culture need policy measurement
Nature News

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 1 piece in one hour at Sep 20, 7 PM; 4 pieces over 3 days (1 article · 3 posts) Sep 20, 7 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 9 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 11 PM — quietSep 21, 12 AM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 3 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 5 AM — quietSep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Bluesky 1Sep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 11 AM — quietSep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 22, 7 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 1 AM — quiet 1
Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 2:09 AM ET
  1. background

    Kumar identifies gap in climate policy on mental health — Kumar argues that while climate policy sometimes addresses mental health through adaptation (preparedness, psychological first aid, resilience programs), it fails to account for scenarios where adaptation is impossible—such as fishing communities that can no longer sustain their way of life. She emphasizes mental health remains mostly invisible in systems designed to address climate loss.

  2. background

    Kumar details psychological toll observed in affected communities — Kumar describes how conversations with Kenyan fishing communities revealed anxiety, substance abuse, gender-based violence, and erosion of sea-based traditions beneath surface economic concerns. She notes people experience climate change as gradual erosion of health, livelihoods, social cohesion, and dignity—not isolated disasters.

  3. 1

    Kumar argues climate losses extend to mental health and cultural identity

    Manasi Kumar publishes analysis in Nature News contending that climate damage assessment must go beyond property and income to capture psychological and cultural harms. She draws on fieldwork with coastal communities in Kenya and salt workers in India to show how climate change erodes belonging, traditions, and intergenerational knowledge.

    “Climate losses extend beyond property and income. Policymakers need ways to assess what people value, experience and ultimately stand to lose.”
    — Manasi Kumar
    1. 1 outlet Losing your way of life to climate change matters — and we need a way to measure it

      first by Nature News, 3d ago

    • nature.com

      Climate losses extend beyond property and income. Policymakers need ways to assess what people value, experience and ultimately stand to lose, says Manasi Kumar go.

      nature.comBluesky2d ago60▲view on Bluesky ↗

What people are saying 1 voices from 1 site · best of 3 · verbatim