UN STI Forum 2025: Side Event on Planetary Health, the Environment, and Youth Mental Health
This is the official livestream of the 2025 United Nations Science, Technology and Innovation Forum side event co-organized by Women Leaders for Planetary Health, the Planetary Health Alliance, and SERAC Bangladesh titled "The Nexus between Planetary Health, Climate and Environmental Crises, and Youth Mental Health."
Moderators:
Vildan Soguktas, Young Women for Planetary Health
S.M. Shaikat, SERAC Bangladesh
Performance by Emma Stevens, Indigenous singer-songwriter
Opening Remarks: Dr. Marie Studer, Executive Director, Planetary Health Alliance
Panel:
Dr. Gareth Morgan, Clinical Psychologist and Youth Coordinator for Climate Psychology Alliance
Dr. Lise van Susteren, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral at George Washington University and co-founder of Climate Psychiatry Alliance
Dr. Daniel W. Smith, Superintendent, Stafford County Public Schools
Dr. Burcin Ikiz, Founder & Director, EcoNeuro
Closing Remarks: Dr. Dévora Kestel, Director, World Health Organization Department of Mental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use
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Without a healthy biosphere, there is no future for humanity. Climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and other environmental threats are fueling a global planetary health crisis. From increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters- such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, and wildfires- to slower-moving but equally destructive forces like pollution, microplastics, unsustainable agriculture and food systems, and a rising number of epidemics and pandemics, the impacts are both immediate and long-lasting.
These environmental disruptions are deeply interconnected with human health, especially mental health, yet the psychological consequences are often neglected in broader discussions. As we navigate rising temperatures, worsening air quality, biodiversity loss, and growing social inequities, the emotional and psychological burden of these crises cannot be ignored- especially for young people who are facing an unprecedented level of climate-related anxiety, grief, and trauma. Among them, young women and girls are particularly vulnerable due to compounding factors like gender inequality, economic insecurity, and limited access to education, healthcare, and decision-making spaces.
This session will explore the mental health impacts of planetary health crises on youth, with a strong focus on young women and girls. Understanding these dynamic impacts is essential for counselors, educators, health professionals, and policymakers striving to create equitable and effective responses, and so is supporting youth mental well-being, which is not just a moral imperative but foundational to building a healthier, more resilient future for all.
