Climate cafés as a space for navigating climate emotions: A scoping review

Introduction

Climate change poses significant physical health risks, while its mental and emotional impacts are increasingly being recognized and researched. Although Climate Cafés have emerged as community-led interventions offering spaces to discuss climate-related thoughts and feelings, there is a paucity of literature describing their utility and impact. This scoping review maps the existing landscape of Climate Cafés and assesses their role in addressing climate-induced distress, and motivating action.

Methods

A literature review was conducted using academic literature published between 2015 and 2024 from the MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Public Health Database, and Web of Science databases. A grey literature search was also undertaken to capture information not published in the academic literature.

Results

No academic literature met inclusion criteria while the grey literature yielded 41 records. The grey literature depicted Climate Cafés as flexible, community-driven spaces for individuals to express and process emotions related to climate change. Programs varied: some were action-free spaces focused on emotional support while others promoted climate action. Participant feedback indicated reduced isolation, decreased anxiety, and increased hopefulness after attending sessions. Challenges identified include issues with inclusivity for marginalized communities, cultural barriers, logistical difficulties, and a lack of standardized evaluation methods.

Conclusions

Climate Cafés represent a promising yet under-researched approach to addressing the emotional impacts of climate change. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Climate Cafés, which could inform their integration into strategies to support both individual well-being and community resilience.