WASHINGTON — The discipline of psychology must strengthen its capacity to address climate change and collaborate with other fields and sectors for maximal impact, according to a new report from the American Psychological Association.
In “Addressing the Climate Crisis: An Action Plan for Psychologists (PDF, 643KB)opens in new window,” the APA Task Force on Climate Change offers a blueprint for actions by APA and the broader psychology community.
“Psychologists must use their scientific understanding of human behavior to address climate change—and while many already are, more need to be engaged,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, APA’s CEO. “This report articulates actions our field can take and how we can collaborate outside of the field of psychology to have the greatest impact.”
Mitigation is a major thrust of the report. Psychologists should be involved in the design of technologies that can reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions—from solar to heating and cooling to electric vehicles—and to support people and organizations in adopting them, the report states.
Psychology is also needed to address the mental health impacts of climate change, which can include anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder. Through research and direct interventions, psychologists can play an important role in helping people and communities adapt, according to the report. They can address psychological and mental health responses to climate change and help people build psychological and social resilience to better deal with climate impacts.
For mitigation and adaptation to succeed, the report notes, public understanding of climate change is crucial. Psychologists can play an important role in assessing the thoughts and beliefs of various communities, and in educating and communicating climate information to them. The report also conveys the important role of social action in addressing climate change. Psychologists can apply their understanding of motivation, persuasion and communication to advocate for sound climate policy and social change, it says.
The report offered 12 recommendations, six for strengthening the field of psychology and six for broadening psychology’s impact. It builds on the work of a task force convened by APA in 2008-09 that focused on psychological research geared to climate change, as well as on recent developments in psychology, climate science and climate policy. Here are the recommendations:
Strengthening the field
- Advance research on climate change across all areas of psychological science.
- Build psychologists’ capacities to support people in mitigating and adapting to climate change.
- Incorporate coverage of climate change into all levels of psychology education.
- Engage in sustained advocacy on climate change to government at all levels and to business and nonprofit organizations.
- Serve as an important channel of information to psychologists about climate change and how they can contribute to effective climate action.
- Implement a strategic approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve sustainability across all of APA’s operations and in the psychological community.
Broadening impact
- Promote engagement of psychological scientists with policymakers, practitioners and community members on climate change issues.
- Enlarge the range of settings and partnerships in which psychology practitioners address climate change.
- Promote coverage of the psychological dimensions of climate change in the education of other professionals and the public.
- Partner on climate advocacy with other scientific, professional, social justice, environmental and health organizations.
- Educate the public about the psychological dimensions of climate change and effective climate action.
- Engage with other organizations and the public to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve sustainability practices.
“Psychologists can and should play a key role in addressing the climate crisis and the dangers it poses to the health and well-being of people worldwide,” said Gale Sinatra, PhD, of the University of Southern California and climate task force chair. “The task force is pleased to offer these recommendations to APA as a path forward, and to encourage the field of psychology to heed the call.”
The report was accepted by APA’s governing Council of Representatives on Feb. 26, 2022.