Neuro Climate Working Group

Who We Are:

The Neuro Climate Working Group (NCWG) is a global, interdisciplinary network of scientists, clinicians, policy experts, and climate advocates focused on the critical intersection of climate change and brain health.  For the most up-to-date information about our work, projects, members, and ways to get involved, please visit our main website at https://neuroclimate.org/.

Drawing on expertise across neuroscience, psychiatry, public health, epidemiology, environmental science, design, and policy, NCWG works to understand how climate change and related environmental stressors affect neurological and mental well-being across the lifespan and around the world. We are committed to building a robust evidence base and translating science into actionable strategies that inform policy, practice, and community-level solutions at local, regional, national, and global scales.

Our Mission:

We are committed to unraveling the complex relationship between climate change and brain health. Our mission is to translate groundbreaking research into actionable solutions that safeguard cognitive function, neurological health, and mental well-being for all.

Our Vision:

Our vision is to establish a world where local, regional, national, and global policies are informed by robust scientific evidence about the brain health effects of climate change and pollution. We strive to foster resilient communities equipped with the knowledge and resources to combat the health challenges posed by our changing environment. Ultimately, we seek to ensure that brain health is a central consideration in climate resilience strategies worldwide, supporting equitable and sustainable health outcomes for all populations.

We strive to:

• Advance Research: Conduct and support rigorous, multidisciplinary studies on climate and brain health.
• Promote Awareness: Educate policymakers, professionals, and the public on the critical link between climate and brain health.
• Inspire Action: Develop and implement evidence-based strategies to mitigate harm and build resilience among the most vulnerable communities worldwide.
• Influence Policy: Advocate for policies that prioritize brain health in climate agendas.
• Build Capacity: Support and mentor the next generation of climate–brain health leaders

Our Vision:
We envision a brain-healthy world in which scientific insights into the neurological and mental health impacts of climate change empower individuals and communities to act collectively and at all levels.

We work to shape local, national, and global policy through robust evidence, helping build resilient societies equipped to face the health challenges of a changing planet. By placing brain health at the core of climate resilience strategies, we strive for equitable and sustainable outcomes for all.

Our Why

Climate change is more than an environmental crisis: It is the largest global health threat of the present era. 

Growing evidence synthesized by our network shows that exposure to extreme heat, air pollution, and other climate-related stressors can significantly impair neurological, cognitive, and emotional functions and exacerbate various mental and neurological disorders. Yet, research in this area remains fragmented and underdeveloped, particularly in the lower- and middle-income countries that are most vulnerable to climate impacts. Today, there is a critical need to better understand the scope of these effects, identify research deficits, and provide clear, actionable guidance for scientists, medical professionals, and policymakers.

We believe that increasing our scientific understanding is necessary, but not enough. Real change requires deep collaboration with communities, particularly those most at risk. Together, we aim to design and implement locally-grounded and community-based adaptation and prevention strategies that promote resilience and protect brain health where it’s needed most.

How to be Involved

NCWG is a collaborative, action-oriented network. Members engage with the group in several ways, depending on interest and capacity, including:

• Participating in monthly virtual meetings featuring research, policy updates, and discussion

• Contributing to focus groups and thematic working areas (e.g., heat, air pollution, neurodevelopment, aging, mental health, policy translation)

• Collaborating on research, reports, and policy briefs that translate science into practice

• Engaging in education, mentorship, and leadership development, including opportunities for early-career professionals and students

• Supporting global and community-based projects that center equity and locally grounded solutions

Details on current projects, meetings, and participation opportunities are maintained on our website: https://neuroclimate.org/.

Our Impact

The Neuro Climate Working Group (NCWG) is the first and only global action tank dedicated to addressing the brain health impacts of climate change and related environmental exposures. Launched in April 2024, NCWG was founded to fill a critical gap at the intersection of medicine, neuroscience, climate science, and health equity, recognizing that climate change is one of the most pressing and under-recognized health threats of our time.

Since its founding, NCWG has grown into a global network spanning multiple regions and disciplines, including neurology, psychiatry, pediatrics, public health, environmental science, policy, architecture, design, and community advocacy. From its inception, NCWG has embedded health equity into its mission, with strong representation from low- and middle-income regions and a focus on communities disproportionately affected by heat, air pollution, extreme weather, food insecurity, and environmental contamination.

NCWG’s impact is defined by its ability to translate science into clinical practice, policy, and professional action. A flagship example is its partnership with the World Health Organization, through which NCWG members have contributed to training materials that equip healthcare professionals to understand and address the neurological and mental health impacts of air pollution. This work directly supports clinicians in recognizing climate-related risks, communicating them to patients, and advocating for preventive interventions.

NCWG has also helped integrate brain health into global climate and health policy for the first time. Through collaboration with the Health Effects Institute, NCWG contributed evidence that led to the first-ever inclusion of brain health in the State of Global Air 2025 report, ensuring that neurological and mental health outcomes are reflected in air quality assessments used by policymakers worldwide.

In research-to-policy translation, NCWG launched Brain CLIMA, a Wellcome Trust–supported, multi-country project examining how combined exposure to heat and air pollution affects blood–brain barrier integrity and brain aging in Latin America. Beyond advancing science, Brain CLIMA includes a dedicated policy translation workstream to convert findings into actionable guidance for clinicians, health systems, and decision-makers.

NCWG also invests in the future of the profession through education, mentorship, and leadership development, including the launch of a Youth Council to support early-career clinicians and researchers engaging in climate and health work.

In 2025, the World Economic Forum recognized us as one of the top five global initiatives working at the intersection of climate change and mental health.

Our Resources

The following resources represent a non-exhaustive selection of foundational reports, books, and peer-reviewed studies that inform NCWG’s work. An updated and expanded resource library is available at neuroclimate.org.

Contact Burcin Ikiz (she/her), PhD, at burcin@econeuro.org