Our Brains on a Changing Planet

What happens to our brains when the planet changes around us? Extreme heat, air pollution, climate disasters, and environmental disruption are already shaping how we think, feel, develop, and age. Yet brain health remains one of the most overlooked dimensions of the climate and planetary health conversation. Join us during New York Climate Week for a lively public conversation bringing together neuroscientists, clinicians, mental health experts, children’s health and planetary health specialists, Indigenous leaders, community resilience experts, and climate and health advocates from around the world. Together, we will explore what emerging science tells us about the connections between climate change, environmental degradation, and brain health across the life course, from pregnancy and childhood development to mental health, cognition, neurological health, and brain aging. Just as importantly, we will look toward solutions: how climate action, cleaner air, healthier environments, Indigenous knowledge, stronger communities, and better policy can help protect our brains and build resilience. The event will also mark the New York launch of the Neuro Climate Science & Policy Report, bringing together evidence and perspectives from around the world and asking a critical question: How can protecting the planet also help protect our brains? This free, public event will be held in person at NYU in New York City and will also be accessible online.