Despite contributing only a small amount to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan is consistently included as one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. The project intends to introduce the "Mindful Climate Collective" (MCC) in Asia, starting with Islamabad, which aims to formulate and implement strategies to address the Mental Health impacts of Climate Change (MHICC). MCC will operate across Asia, but initially, focus on Islamabad, Pakistan.

While mental health impacts have been recognized as significant, no concrete policy measures have been conceptualized yet. Pakistan has not even yet developed a National Adaptation Plan. While Pakistan has formulated a National Climate Change Policy, it does not pronouncedly address the significant area of mental health impacts resulting from increasing climate change. Islamabad has witnessed severe climate change impacts, including extreme weather events, fires, heatwaves, and glacial melting etc, prompting negative emotions, i.e, anger, frustration, anxiety, distress and uncertainty.

MCC will conduct an initial research/needs assessment of the vulnerable population in Islamabad to identify their needs and issues. MCC will create partnerships between universities, research institutions, and government agencies in Islamabad to conduct research, present ideas, knowledge-based strategies, and develop a volunteer workforce. MCC will also bring together experts from diverse fields i.e, climate science, psychology, and public health to develop strategies to address the MHICC. It will focus on three main areas of climate justice, i.e, adaptation, loss and damage, and finance. MCC will work with communities to develop and implement climate adaptation strategies that prioritize mental health and well-being, i.e., promoting community-based adaptation practices that incorporate mental health considerations, community gardening, nature-based solutions, and disaster risk reduction strategies that prioritize psychological support. MCC will target loss and damage, i.e, economic and non-economic impacts of climate change; developing strategies that address the mental health impacts of loss and damage, i.e, displacement, migration, and conflict. Lastly, the center will focus on finance and collaborate with government and International organizations to secure funding for research and implementation of climate-resilient mental health strategies, i.e, establishing new funding mechanisms that prioritize mental health and well-being in climate finance.

Activities:

• Establish partnerships with universities, research institutions, and government agencies in Islamabad, to establish the MCC.


• Conduct research/needs assessment to understand MHICC in communities.


• Develop strategies that address the MHICC, with focus on adaptation, loss and damage, and finance.


• Promote community-based adaptation practices that incorporate mental health considerations, i.e, community gardening, nature-based solutions, and disaster risk reduction strategies that prioritize psychological support.


• Develop strategies that address the mental health impacts of displacement, migration, and conflict.


• Advocate for policy decisions at national and International levels to prioritize mental health and wellbeing in climate justice initiatives.

Goals & Expected Outcomes:

• Increased awareness and understanding of the MHICC in vulnerable communities across Asia, i.e, initially in Islamabad Empowered communities with the skills, knowledge and resources to develop and implement climate-resilient mental health strategies.


• Development of effective strategies that address the MHICC.


• Initiate the discussions around increased funding for research and implementation of climate-resilient mental health strategies across Pakistan.


• Influence policy decisions at national and International levels to prioritize mental health and well-being in climate justice initiatives.