Climate Change and Human Well-being in the Global South

Climate change affects the social and environmental determinants of human well-being – secure shelter, clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food, and livelihood opportunities. These can be direct impacts of climate change on physical well-being (such as impacts from climate extremes) and mental health (through stress and conflict), or indirect effects on land-based food production and fisheries leading to disruptions in food and incomes or damages to critical infrastructure that impact regional economies. Climate change responses such as actions taken to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to increasing climate risks can positively or adversely affect human well-being. Thus, climate adaptation and mitigation measures are vital and require a careful analysis of economic, governance, behavioural, and social costs and benefits. This is particularly needed in the Global South, which faces disproportionate climate impacts and development needs. This thematic issue aims to gather the knowledge of frontiers in socio-environmental systems to explore the impacts of climate change on human well-being and synthesise how adaptation and mitigation strategies can minimize climate risk, loss and damages, and contribute to rapid and deep climate change mitigation towards 1.5°C, while increasing well-being in the Global South. We cover a wide range of approaches and methods to discuss human-environment interactions and integrate behavioural and social determinants to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the impacts of climate change on human well-being in the Global South.

The special issue aims to cover topics that include but are not limited to:

- Interlinkages between climate action and broader societal goals

- Individual behavioural and lifestyle changes that deliver emission reductions and human well-being

- Synergies and tradeoffs between adaptation and mitigation and well-being

- Assessment methods (metrics, tools, models) to examine climate action and well-being links

- Equity and justice outcomes associated with mitigation or adaptation policies, actions

- Urban climate response options and co-benefits

- Moving beyond GDP, well-being and degrowth development

- Enabling climate resilient development (Governance and policies, Climate literacy, and Climate finance gaps and investments)