2023 / Climate, Health and well-being

Leveraging Neuroscience for Climate Change Research

Citation

Doell, K. C., Berman, M. G., Bratman, G. N., Knutson, B., Kühn, S., Lamm, C., … & Brosch, T. (2023). Leveraging neuroscience for climate change research. Nature Climate Change, 13(12), 1288-1297. doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01857-4

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Abstract

Figure 1: Reciprocal relationships between the brain and a changing environment.

Anthropogenic climate change poses a substantial threat to societal living conditions. Here, we argue that neuroscience can substantially contribute to the fight against climate change and provide a framework and a roadmap to organize and prioritize neuroscience research in this domain. We outline how neuroscience can be used to: (1) investigate the negative impact of climate change on the human brain; (2) identify ways to adapt; (3) understand the neural substrates of decisions with pro-environmental and harmful outcomes; and (4) create neuroscience-based insights into communication and intervention strategies that aim to promote climate action. The paper is also a call to action for neuroscientists to join broader scientific efforts to tackle the existential environmental threats Earth is currently facing.

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