Global study links higher temperatures to increased suicide rates
For the first time, a study has quantified the impacts of climate change on mental health, particularly the incidence of suicide.
The study, “ Multi-country projections of temperature-related suicide mortality ”, published on 30 June 2026 in the Nature Mental Health Journal, looked at the link between rising temperatures from 751 locations across 26 countries under three climate scenarios through the 2050s. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) research team found that temperature-related suicide deaths are expected to rise.
Among the mental health-related challenges, suicide remains one of the leading causes of death globally, claiming an estimated 720,000 lives annually. The study notes that climate change has emerged as a contributor to this troubling issue.
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The heat-related suicide rates vary by region. The analysis shows that warmer areas such as Central and South America, southern Europe, Southeast Asia, and South Africa are projected to see sharp increases in temperature-associated suicide by the 2050s under all climate scenarios .
In contrast, in cooler and more temperate regions such as North and Central Europe, North America, East Asia and Australia, the increase is more gradual.
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