Cn2r and its partners - the Institut Méditerranéen de la Transition Environnementale and the A*Midex foundation - invite you to take part in the second scientific day "Resilience, mental health and climate change: crossroads" on Thursday, November 09, 2023 in Marseille or by live videoconference.
The climate crisis we are facing is responsible for global changes that
are generating new societal challenges. It is profoundly altering ecosystems, impacting
territories and posing a social threat. Among the many consequences
induced by this crisis, the repercussions on mental health, long neglected,
can no longer be ignored. Mental health can be impacted, for example, indirectly by climatic
migrations, or more directly by natural disasters, the number of which has
almost doubled over the last twenty years, and whose intensity continues to increase
(UNDRR, 2020). Natural disasters can combine loss of life with massive material damage
. Unlike incidents with more limited effects, they have the particularity
of affecting an entire geographical area, thereby destructuring an entire
social fabric (habitats, housing, hospitals, etc.). They are therefore liable to shake
a community to the core, confronting it with a multiplicity of losses as well as the sudden disappearance
of its landmarks.
With this in mind, the reality of the aftermath of the events needs to be considered in its many
dimensions, and poses a major challenge: how to support disaster victims faced with
a dual crisis, both psychological and social in nature? While mental health appears
to be an essential vector of resilience for individuals and communities, it must
imperatively be considered in conjunction with sustainable ecological, social
and economic strategies. With this in mind, it seems essential
to bring together different players in the field, all working in solidarity towards the same goal: to support
the reconstruction of disaster victims. However, this support needs to be projected
over a sufficiently long period of time to allow for a full and lasting reconstruction, thought out
with the people affected.
In a context of increasing disaster risk, it is also
imperative to consider the reality prior to events, so as to be able to take collective preventive action
. The aim is not only to inform and train the inhabitants of
territories at risk, but also to raise awareness among the population as a whole, for whom
upheavals and climate threats can represent a source of considerable anxiety and
concern. Although the prospect of evolving in a world undergoing profound
changes may seem worrying, education and shared reflection can
also serve as a lever for anticipating risk and fostering our ability to
cope with events. As Cn2r, we want to reflect on our evolution
in a world in transition, as part of a process of consultation, coordination and
multi-disciplinary training.
