Climate Anxiety in Children
and young persons’ concerns about government inaction.
Steve Roberts
Climate anxiety is becoming more prevalent as people become more aware of the hazards associated with climate change. Stress can be helpful because it causes individuals to consider how to best respond. Still, the anxiety can become extreme because the problem does not have obvious, easily carried out solutions.
Children especially burdened
Children appear to be significantly burdened by climate anxiety partly because they have no power to address the problem. Evidence also shows that climate anxiety harms the social and psychological well-being of younger people. Sometimes, it may worsen mental health issues that are already present and cause the development of new ones.
The lack of action by adults also adds to this psychological burden. As a result, some feel that children are being psychologically harmed by seeing adults, people who are supposed to care for them, not behaving ethically about their futures. This factor has become so significant that some younger people are taking legal action because those in power are seen as not protecting their futures.
Climate worry survey
To further study this issue, Caroline Hickman and her colleagues carried out a survey with young people between the ages of 16–25 from 10 countries, including the USA, France, Australia, and Finland. The survey focused on climate worry, climate emotions, climate-affecting activity, climate-related thoughts, thoughts about government response, and feelings about government response.
Sixty percent of children across the ten countries felt very or extremely worried about climate change, and over 45% said these feelings had a negative impact on their daily lives. The countries expressing more worry were poorer and in the south where a more direct impact of climate change is experienced. In addition, 75% said the future was frightening.
Regarding the United States, 54% said they were afraid, 73% said they were not optimistic and 48% said they felt powerless.
Specific climate beliefs
In response to the following statement, “Does climate change make you think of the following?” the following US responses are noted:
- I am hesitant to have children–Yes 36%
- Humanity is doomed–Yes 46%
- The future is frightening–Yes 68%
- People have failed to take care of the planet–Yes 78%
In response to the following statement, “In relation to climate change I believe that my government is/ other governments are…” the following US responses are noted:
- Doing enough to avoid a climate catastrophe–No 68%
- Dismissing peoples’ distress–Yes 59%
- Acting in line with climate science–No 63%
- Protecting me, the planet, and/or future generations–No 67%
- Can be trusted-No 68%
- Failing young people across the world–Yes 63%
Conclusion
Climate anxiety is present among young people around the world and in the United States. That the survey participants also believe that governments are failing to reduce or lessen the severity of climate change, as illustrated in the survey responses, certainly adds to this anxiety. Some feel these psychological conditions increase the risk of worsening present mental health conditions and perhaps causing new ones.
The authors of this study felt that those in power could lessen the anxiety of young people by recognizing and understanding their fears and concerns and considering them when developing policy.
Credit
This article is based on:Hickman, C, Marks, E, Pihkal, P, Clayton, S, Lewandowski, R E, Mayall, E E, Wray, B , Mellor C & van Susteren , L 2021, ‘ Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey ‘, The Lancet Planetary Health, vol. 5 , no. 12 , pp. e863-e873 .