Climate Change, Migration, and Women's Mental Health: Global Perspectives

"This Special Collection emerged from an urgent need to centre mental health and the lived experiences of women who stand at the forefront of climate crises. As a psychologist deeply engaged with climate adaptation and climate justice, I feel compelled to create a space where empirical research, technological innovations, and community knowledge converge. Women from climate-affected, and migration-prone regions are not only disproportionately burdened, but also profoundly resilient. By curating this collection, we hope to amplify diverse epistemologies, support equity-driven mental health, examine technological innovation, and foster global collaborations.” - Dr. Gulnaz Anjum, Guest Editor of the Special Collection Climate Change and Women’s Reproductive Health (2000–2024): A Global Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis of Gendered Vulnerabilities and Knowledge Gaps Abstract Background: The intersection of climate change and women’s reproductive health represents a critical but understudied nexus of environmental and gender-based vulnerabilities. Climate-induced stressors—including heatwaves, air pollution, vector-borne diseases, and water scarcity—have been associated with disruptions in menstrual health, increased infertility risks, pregnancy complications, adverse birth outcomes, and maternal morbidity. Despite the growing body of empirical evidence highlighting these links, the scholarly landscape remains fragmented, with no comprehensive synthesis of global research efforts in this domain to date. Objective: This study conducts the first systematic bibliometric and thematic analysis of peer-reviewed literature on climate change and women’s reproductive health from 2000 to 2024. It aims to (1) map publication trends, (2) identify influential authors, institutions, journals, and countries, (3) delineate core and emerging research themes, and (4) assess the equity of knowledge production across the Global North and South. By offering a meta-level overview, the study informs future interdisciplinary research, funding strategies, and climate-health policy interventions grounded in gender justice. Methods: Using the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus as primary databases, a structured search strategy was implemented to extract relevant records based on climate and reproductive health-related terms intersecting with gender-specific keywords. The dataset was analyzed using bibliometric tools (VOSviewer and Biblioshiny) for citation, co-authorship, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. Thematic clustering was conducted to identify dominant discourses and knowledge gaps. Comparative assessments were performed to evaluate representation by geographic region and epistemic perspective. Results: A total of 1401 records were identified, revealing a marked increase in publications post-2015, coinciding with the Paris Agreement and growing climate justice advocacy. The United States, United Kingdom, and Australia emerged as leading contributors, while Global South representation remained limited both in authorship and topical focus. Thematic analysis revealed four major clusters: (1) climate-induced maternal health risks, (2) fertility and hormonal disruption, (3) air pollution and birth outcomes, and (4) policy and gender equity discourse. Emerging but under-researched topics included menstrual health, reproductive justice frameworks, and adaptation strategies for heat-exposed populations. Conclusion: This study underscores a growing but unevenly distributed body of knowledge on the impacts of climate change on women’s reproductive health. The findings highlight epistemic disparities that risk marginalizing the most affected populations—especially in the Global South. Future research must prioritize interdisciplinary, equity-centered frameworks to address this urgent public health and climate justice challenge. By mapping the contours of this evolving field, this study lays the groundwork for more inclusive, policy-relevant, and context-sensitive scholarship. Keywords: climate change, reproductive health, women, bibliometric analysis, maternal health, Global South, gender equity, environmental stressors, heat exposure, reproductive justice Double Exposure: Heatwaves, Flash Floods, and Women’s Mental Health in Urban Settlements Urban settlements of the Global South are characterized by internal migration, overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and poor access to healthcare. Therefore, these urban centers have emerged as epicenters of climate vulnerability and related mental health issues. These impacts disproportionately impact women due to a combination of slow- and rapid-onset climate events, such as heatwaves and flooding (dual exposure), as well as socioeconomic, cultural, and gender-based insecurities. This dual exposure to environmental stressors and reduced mobility, amplifies risks to women's physical and mental health. At the same time, women in such settings engage in embodied labor of repair and adaptation, rooted in community practices and interdependent resilience. This paper seeks to examine the synergistic impacts of climate-induced heat stress and migratory displacement on women’s mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, drawing on community psychology and intersectional feminist theory. While existing literature increasingly explores climate change and mobility separately, we investigate their combined effects, particularly among urban women in the Global South. Intelligent Resilience: AI’s Transformative Power for Mental Well‑Being and a Sustainable Future Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing how we understand, detect, and treat mental health conditions. From advanced multimodal Large Language Models (LLMs) integrating clinical notes, demographics, imaging, and audio data, to predictive modeling for early detection of anxiety, depression, OCD, and stress, AI is enabling precision psychiatry and personalized care like never before. Applications range from clinical decision support to real-time monitoring and treatment optimization, with wearables serving as one of many tools for tracking physiological and behavioral biomarkers. By analyzing complex, heterogeneous data streams, AI systems are making mental healthcare more proactive, scalable, and accessible. Beyond mental health, AI is emerging as a key enabler of climate resilience. Through innovations in energy optimization, environmental monitoring, and predictive modeling, AI offers powerful tools to address global ecological challenges. Together, these advancements highlight AI’s potential to foster human and planetary resilience—reshaping the way we care for both our minds and our shared world.