Introducing a new free course - Climate Psychology: facing the climate crisis

In January 2024, The Open University introduced a new free course on the emerging field of Climate Psychology. It is now widely accepted that facts about climate change, taken alone, do not promote change. There is growing recognition that deeper psychological perspectives, beyond traditional psychological approaches, could enrich environment movements. Additionally, evidence is building that climate change can lead to negative consequences for mental health and wellbeing. Taking a critical eco-psycho-social perspective you will explore ideas from social theory, psychoanalysis, ecopsychology, eco-feminism and post-humanism to gain a deeper understanding of the climate and ecological crisis, its impact on our wellbeing and how to build psychological resilience. 

This course is hosted on OpenLearn, the free learning platform from The Open University. OpenLearn and its associated products attract around 13 million visitors each year from around the world. Whether it’s a two-minute exploration or a 24-hour expedition into learning that you’re after, you’ll find it on OpenLearn for free. OpenLearn allows you to learn for free, at any time.