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Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Rob.

And I'm Sam. When we talk about climate change, we usually talk about the effects on the planet

or the economic consequences. But all the damage being done by climate change is also having an effect on our minds,

our mental health.

Fires, heat waves, floods, hurricanes, droughts. The list of climate emergencies goes on and on.

And sometimes it all feels like doom and gloom, an idiom describing a situation that is very bad and without hope.

This worry is leading to mental health problems, not just for the unfortunate people who experience climate events firsthand, but for all of us.

In this programme, we'll meet one expert who's investigating the link between climate change and mental health problems and hoping to find some solutions.

And as usual, we'll be learning some new vocabulary along the way.

But before that, I have a question for you, Sam. The 2021 UK Census reported that three quarters of adults in Britain are worried about the impact of climate change, and it's a worry that's shared by the young.

According to a survey by Greenpeace, what percentage of young people worldwide say they feel worried about climate change?

Is it a 74%, b 84% or c 94%.

I think the figure will be high among young people, so I'll say b 84%.

Okay, Sam, we'll find out if that's the correct answer later in the programme.

The expert I mentioned earlier, who's investigating this problem, is Dr. Gesh Huberner, senior researcher at University College London.

Here, Dr Huberner explains to BBC World Service programme, the climate question, what she's been finding out.

I think we have very clear evidence that, for example, hot temperatures, heat waves are linked to an increased risk of suicide and also other adverse mental health effects.

We also have pretty good evidence that, for example, experiencing a natural disaster, storms, flooding are linked to negative mental health outcomes such as post-traumatic stress disorder or other anxiety issues.

Many people who experience a climate change event like flooding suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, often shortened to PTSD, a serious mental health disorder that can develop after a very bad experience like war or natural disasters like a flood or fire.

But according to Dr Huberner, even people without direct experience can suffer anxiety issues about what the future holds for our planet.

This is known as climate anxiety, sometimes called climate doom, a low-level feeling of nervousness or worry about the consequences of climate change.

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