Cognition in Climate Change: Is It Just a Matter of Time?

Climate change (CC) is a global phenomenon characterized by long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Aside from natural causes, we have been facing a full-blown climate crisis primarily driven by human activity, leading to increasingly frequent and extreme weather events that put a strain on people's mental capacities. Addressing CC necessitates a temporal perspective as both causes and potential solutions extend beyond the present. However, despite being a significant challenge for humanity, CC is often considered temporally distant, leading to abstract thinking and reduced urgency for action. Considering the diverse dimensions that concur to define CC, this review will explore the link between CC and time cognition, building on insights from cognitive sciences. Upon considering the tangible effects of the anthropogenic CC (Changing Place), we argue that change in the social construction of time is inherent to CC and drifts to the point of affecting psychological well-being (Changing Time). Moreover, considering that time is central to cognition and interlinked with several cognitive functions, we will consider the literature investigating the impact of CC-related eco-anxiety on cognitive abilities within the framework of time cognition. Furthermore, we assess how eco-anxiety and time cognition interact, potentially serving as markers of mental well-being (Changing Thoughts). By framing CC within the realm of time cognition, we offer an interdisciplinary perspective on cognition and well-being, advocating for the integration of cognitive science into climate adaptation and mitigation efforts to foster more effective, psychologically sustainable long-term climate strategies (Changing Future). This article is categorized under: Neuroscience > Cognition.