Many feel betrayed, ignored and abandoned by politicians and adults. The authors say the young are confused by governments' failure to act. They say environmental fears are "profoundly affecting huge numbers of young people". Chronic stress over climate change, they maintain, is increasing the risk of mental and physical problems. And if severe weather events worsen, mental health impacts will follow. The report says young people are especially affected by climate fears because they are developing psychologically, socially and physically.
The lead author, Caroline Hickman from Bath University, told BBC News: "This shows eco-anxiety is not just for environmental destruction alone, but inextricably linked to government inaction on climate change. The young feel abandoned and betrayed by governments.
Four out of 10 are hesitant to have children. The authors of the report, to be published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health, say levels of anxiety appear to be greatest in nations where government climate policies are considered weakest. There was most concern in the global south.
The most worried rich nation was Portugal, which has seen repeated wildfires. They're not just reading about climate change in the media - they're watching it unfold in front of their own eyes.
The authors believe the failure of governments on climate change may be defined as cruelty under human rights legislation. This has driven some readers of an infamous, and influential, deep adaptation paper to move to the countryside and to visit therapists like Hickman.
Hickman, who is also a scuba-diving instructor, adapts scuba principles to both couples counselling and climate therapy: Stop. At the end of our conversation, we watch dragonflies flitting around the lake and bulrushes swaying in the light breeze. But for a moment, focused on the ducklings, the heaviness in my chest is gone.
This article is part of our Climate Emotions series. Climate change is harming the planet, and it may be harming our mental health too. From fear and anxiety to hope and healing, this series examines our complex responses to climate change, and how those responses will shape our ability to deal with the environmental challenge we face. Join one million Future fans by liking us on Facebook , or follow us on Twitter or Instagram.
If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc. Climate Emotions Environment. The harm from worrying about climate change. Share using Email. By Christine Ro 10th October Worry about climate change is affecting more people as global warming becomes more apparent around the world. But there is a solution that can help improve this anxiety and slow climate breakdown at the same time, writes Christine Ro.
I am part of the problem. Round-trip flights between London and Guwahati emit about twice as much as the average Indian emits in a whole year. Climate Emotions This article is part of our Climate Emotions series. Around the BBC. Thank you for asking this really important question. I know from my work as a psychotherapist and with the Climate Psychology Alliance that lots of other young people are worrying about global warming and the climate crisis, too. So, my first piece of advice to you is to carry on doing what you have done here — do not keep your worries to yourself: talk with people about this, because sharing worries does help to make them a little better.
If you are not sure who to talk to then maybe start by listening to these podcasts by young people talking about how they coped with their eco-anxiety, and there are lots of good blogs and advice online that can help as well. I also want to say that I am really impressed by what a caring big sister you are. You are worrying about your baby brothers but do not say that you are worrying so much about yourself. They are lucky to have such a loving and protective big sister as you.
Make sure that you ask others to look after you sometimes, then you can look after them in return when they need it — that always helps. But it is not just anxiety: people also experience feelings of grief, anger, guilt, fear, shame and panic — sometimes all in one day.
This can be confusing, and create even more anxiety. Sometimes, we worry about our feelings and tell ourselves that we should not be feeling them or other people say this to us. Your fears are a really healthy response to what is going on in the world.
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