Climate change and health care
Climate change poses profound challenges for health systems, affecting physical, mental, social, and economic wellbeing. Our department contributes to this rapidly developing field through interdisciplinary research and international collaborations aimed at advancing climate-resilient and sustainable models of care. We are actively engaged in national and international collaborations that advance evidence-based strategies to strengthen the resilience and environmental performance of health care in the face of environmental change.
Since July 2025, our department has been part of the Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Climate Change and Mental Health, an interdisciplinary global initiative that aims to develop the first comprehensive scientific blueprint for addressing the mental health impacts of climate change. The Commission will produce a full Commission Report, planned for submission in August 2026, outlining evidence-based strategies for prevention, resilience, care, and policy integration.
Judit Simon leads Working Group 4: Economic and Financial Assessment of Climate Change and Mental Health Actions supported by Sophie Diexer, Natasa Peric and Dennis Wienand, contributing expertise on the economic burden of climate-related mental ill-health and the cost, cost-effectiveness, budget impact and return on investment of therapeutic, preventative and resilience-building interventions. Through this role, we help shape global guidance on how mental health can be integrated into climate adaptation and mitigation planning.
Featured publication:
- Brandt L, Augustinavicius J, Fusar-Poli P, Hasan A, Patel VH, Simon J, et al. Climate change and mental health: announcing a new Lancet Psychiatry Commission. Lancet Psychiatry. 2025 Nov;12(11):811-813. DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(25)00274-3
Our department is engaged in emerging research on how health systems can reduce their environmental footprint while maintaining high-quality patient care. Current projects led by Nataša Perić explore sustainability challenges across different parts of the health sector, including environmental impacts of diagnostic pathways and early work on greener approaches to pharmaceutical procurement. Through interdisciplinary collaborations, we aim to contribute evidence and ideas that support the transition toward more climate-resilient and resource-efficient health care.
Featured publication:
- Perić N, Österle CM, Clauser P, Baltzer P, Schwingshackl M. Sustainable breast cancer screening: evaluating the climate impact of mammography in Austria. Eur J Public Health. 2025 Oct;35(S4):ckaf161.1259. DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaf161.1259