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‘Eco-anxiety’ is an ‘emergency crisis hidden in plain sight’ and is likely to create a massive impact among the world’s children and youth, the United Nations has said.
Eco-anxiety, climate grief and climate anxiety are defined as negative emotional responses generated due to the threat of environmental and climate crisis.
Navigating New Horizons: A global foresight report on planetary Health and Humans wellbeing, 2024, published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), noted that climate researchers and communicators are also vulnerable to such anxieties.
Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, storms, and floods, lead to displacement and food shortages, causing psychological harm to humans. They lead to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress. Research also points out that such disorders are not related to specific climate events.
The report forecasts that the eco-anxiety crisis will exacerbate by 2030.
The phenomenon impacts people globally, especially young people. A survey from 10 countries including the Philippines, Brazil, Nigeria and India revealed that 59 per cent of young people were extremely worried about climate change and expressed concerns about climate and their faith in government responses.
“More than half reported each of the following emotions: sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless and guilty,” the report stated.
The study also found positive corelations between climate anxiety and distress and inadequate government response, including feelings of betrayal. Children, in particular, felt betrayal, abandonment and confusion due to inaction and lack of agency in experiencing existential threats.
The report warned that sustained exposure to chronic emotional stressors due to climate crises can have long-term impacts and increasing mental health issues. Internet and social media increase the challenge as creation of echo chambers, spread of misinformation generate emotional spread.
Responses such as anxiety and anger are natural and healthy emotional responses can help encourage engagement, understanding and action at individual and group level, the report stated.
Indeed, the surge of youth engagement in climate action during recent years illustrated the potential for positive responses, according to the report. “Yet, there is also ample evidence that it can lead to counter-productive or destructive reactions like denial and avoidance,” it said.
The report warned that increased degrees of anxiety and stress regarding climate change and social unrest pose direct and indirect threats to the environment as it can result in decreased pro-environmental behaviours.
It said a weakened sense of collective responsibility can also be triggered. Hence, identifying solutions for existential threats becomes crucial to mitigate mental health impacts.
The report further said, “Reflecting on the accumulating evidence suggests that climate anxiety in young people is “a crisis in plain sight” and that there are growing indications of “an emotional catastrophe being visited on the next generations”.”
It further noted that such mental problems have large societal implications. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 15 per cent of the global adult population faces mental health issues at various levels, causing a loss of about 12 billion working days as a result of depression and anxiety.
Globally, it causes a productivity loss of US$1trillion.
To address the crises, the report recommends allowing children and young people to develop a sense of agency, empowerment and hope and churn solutions and action-oriented knowledge.
Ultimately, everyone has a role to play—families, teachers, care and health professionals, civil society and international organisations, it said.