Higher temperatures increase suicide rates in the United States and Mexico

[Andrew Lockley]

Poster's note: this is interesting, as it could conceivably be used as a justification for near-term, tropospheric, Regional SRM. It would be interesting to see a modelling study on such an Intervention. If lives could be saved quickly and reliably, that would add an important dimension to the governance debate.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0222-x

Higher temperatures increase suicide rates in the United States and Mexico

• Marshall Burke, 
• Felipe González, 
• […]
• Solomon Hsiang 

Nature Climate Changevolume 8, pages723–729 (2018) | Download Citation

Abstract

Linkages between climate and mental health are often theorized but remain poorly quantified. In particular, it is unknown whether the rate of suicide, a leading cause of death globally, is systematically affected by climatic conditions. Using comprehensive data from multiple decades for both the United States and Mexico, we find that suicide rates rise 0.7% in US counties and 2.1% in Mexican municipalities for a 1 °C increase in monthly average temperature. This effect is similar in hotter versus cooler regions and has not diminished over time, indicating limited historical adaptation. Analysis of depressive language in >600 million social media updates further suggests that mental well-being deteriorates during warmer periods. We project that unmitigated climate change (RCP8.5) could result in a combined 9–40 thousand additional suicides (95% confidence interval) across the United States and Mexico by 2050, representing a change in suicide rates comparable to the estimated impact of economic recessions, suicide prevention programmes or gun restriction laws.

[Stephen Salter]

Hi All

The site

https://www.desmog.co.uk/2019/07/25/boris-johnson-s-cabinet-most-anti-climate-action-ever

has profiles of the new UK cabinet with regard to their views on climate change.

This may be relevant to the suicide rate finding discussed below.

Stephen

Emeritus Professor of Engineering Design. School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, Scotland S.Sa...@ed.ac.uk, Tel +44 (0)131 650 5704, Cell 07795 203 195, WWW.homepages.ed.ac.uk/shs, YouTube Jamie Taylor Power for Change

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