Introduction
The climate crisis is no longer a future environmental threat, but a reality that already affects the physical and mental health of historically vulnerable groups, such as indigenous and quilombola communities. Extreme events, such as prolonged droughts, wildfires, heatwaves, and floods, have intensified anxiety, psychological distress, depression, and forced displacement.
The Challenge of Mental Health
However, in global climate adaptation policies, mental health remains largely invisible. It is for this reason that, since 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) has advocated for mental health to be included in national responses to climate change.
"If the forest burns, there is no way to seek a cure," says indigenous leader Alain Kumaruara. "The Pajé makes the connection with the Encantados, who bring psychological, spiritual, and physical healing," he tells Folha. In quilombola communities in Pará, leaders report that the advancement of deforestation, monoculture, farms, and river pollution is causing psychological distress, anxiety, fear, and a sense of collective loss.
Challenges in Psychosocial Care
Specialized psychosocial care remains distant from community reality. "People go to the first consultation, but they don't follow up," reports a quilombola leader, explaining the costs of traveling to the CAPS and the lack of permanent services within the territory.
Proposals to Reduce Gaps
To reduce gaps, the Vertentes Mental Health and Climate project proposes a national mapping of climate and mental health policies to identify such gaps and potential opportunities for political incidence, to develop a strategy and articulate concrete advocacy actions based on evidence.
Conclusion
With this, the objective is to strengthen public mental health systems in the most vulnerable territories, expand promotion and prevention strategies in the face of extreme events, and recognize Traditional Knowledge as a fundamental part of climate responses.
References
Source / Reference: https://climainfo.org.br/2026/06/29/o-impacto-da-crise-climatica-na-saude-mental-de-indigenas-e-quilombolas/