TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Rising temperatures across Taiwan have transformed summer from merely uncomfortable to unbearable, creating new forms of psychological distress that mental health experts are only beginning to understand. The phenomenon has given birth to terms like "heat anxiety" and "climate anxiety," reflecting a growing dread about life under an increasingly hostile climate. For millions of Taiwanese, the sweltering heat has become more than just the weather — it has become a daily struggle that affects everything from commuting to child-rearing.
Working mother Hsiao-yao (小姚) exemplifies this new reality as she navigates Taipei's scorching streets with portable fans and ice packs. Her daily arsenal against the heat includes multiple cooling devices for her office and special precautions when taking her 2-year-old child outdoors. The heat affects not just physical comfort but her child's temperament, creating additional challenges for parents already juggling work and family responsibilities.
Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council and Ministry of Environment documented this escalating crisis in a report showing accelerated temperature increases since the 1980s. The data reveals longer summers and more frequent extreme heat days, with projections indicating Taiwan's average temperature could rise between 1 to 3.4 degrees Celsius (1.8 to 6.1 degrees Fahrenheit). These increases depend largely on future global greenhouse gas emissions, making international climate action crucial for Taiwan's future.
The economic impact has created entirely new market categories, with "mobile cooling" becoming a trending search term on e-commerce platforms. Jessica, a spokesperson for one such platform, reports that cooling product sales have increased 10% to 20% annually as the high-temperature season extends. Delivery workers and outdoor laborers drive much of this demand, reflecting how climate change disproportionately affects working-class populations.
The mental health implications extend far beyond temporary discomfort, according to research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The 2022 study found that Taiwanese patients with heat-related illnesses were nearly four times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders. Earlier research from 2019 established links between higher regional temperatures and increased rates of major depressive disorders.
Psychiatrist Tien Hsin Chiao (田心喬) at Shin Kong Wu Huo-Shih Memorial Hospital (新光醫院) has quantified these effects with precision. For every 1 degree Celsius temperature increase, mental health consultations rise by 0.9%, while severe cases increase by 6% to 8%. This anxiety about global warming and climate change has earned clinical recognition as "climate anxiety" or "eco-anxiety."
The global context adds urgency to Taiwan's situation, as atmospheric sciences professor Tseng Hong Yang (曾鴻陽) at Chinese Culture University (文化大學) notes. With global average temperatures reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in 2024, he advocates adjusting targets to limit increases below 2 degrees Celsius. The pace and extent of warming may exceed previous scientific projections, demanding stronger worldwide carbon reduction efforts.
Taiwan has responded with ambitious climate goals, targeting a 28% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The government plans to implement carbon fees on emissions while expanding wind and solar energy capacity through various green initiatives. As climate change effects intensify, the urgency for comprehensive mitigation strategies becomes increasingly apparent for Taiwan's 23 million residents.
