Best practices for engaging lived experience experts in dialogues about climate change and mental health: lessons learned from a global effort

Abstract

The Connecting Climate Minds global initiative sought to advance research and action at the intersection of climate change and mental health by centering the voices of people with lived experience. Through a series of regional and thematic dialogues, Connecting Climate Minds engaged nearly 1,200 participants across seven global regions, including Indigenous communities, smallholder farmers and fisher peoples, and youth. A Lived Experience Working Group guided the integration of lived experience throughout all project components, from co-designing research agendas to producing multimedia storytelling outputs. This perspective reflects on the methodologies, challenges, and lessons learned from Connecting Climate Minds' lived experience engagement, drawing on two global debriefing workshops and extensive project documentation. Key principles that emerged include the importance of appropriately resourcing relationship building ("moving at the speed of trust"), reciprocity, cultural sensitivity, ethical storytelling, and the need for researcher training. The perspective also highlights systemic barriers to meaningful engagement, such as rigid funding structures and institutional resistance to, or inappropriate systems for, power-sharing with impacted communities. By documenting both successes and missteps, this perspective offers practical guidance for researchers, funders, and policymakers committed to inclusive, justice-oriented approaches in climate and mental health research. Ultimately, Connecting Climate Minds demonstrates that centering lived experience not only enriches research quality and relevance but also fosters more equitable and transformative outcomes.