In 2018, surveys conducted in the United States found that between 21% and 29% of Americans said they were "very" worried about the climate, which is double the rate of a similar study in 2015. A Yale 2023 survey found similar results, that climate change is distressing. This concept of climate or ecological anxiety and grief is far-reaching due to the extensive awareness about climate change that is made possible through technology and global communication. Climate change is an ongoing global threat that is largely characterized by uncertainty and a lack of understanding. For this reason, anxiety and grief in humans is a natural and rational responses for those feeling fear or a lack of control. For example, these feelings could arise in people who are forced to leave their homes, deal with uncertainty about their future environment, or feel concern for the future harm of their children. Climate grief can be divided into three categories: physical ecological losses, the loss of environmental knowledge, and anticipated future losses.
Children and young adults The condition has become especially common among children and young people – in 2021, in some universities, over 70% of students described themselves as suffering from eco-anxiety. However, as of early 2021, validated ways to assess the prevalence of climate or eco-anxiety were not well established. A September 2021 survey queried 10,000 young people from 10 countries across the world, finding that almost 60% were either very or extremely worried about climate change. Two thirds said they felt sad, afraid and anxious, while close to 40% reported they were hesitant to have children. The people who surround children and young adults, like parents, guardians, teachers, and mentors, can have an impact on how they view climate change. There is research being done about how these groups of people should talk to children and young adults to prevent eco-anxiety in these populations, while still encouraging climate change mitigation practices. Women are at higher risk due to their imposed traditional gender roles and unequal access to power, information, and financial resources. Climate stressors, such as droughts, floods, or extreme heat, force women to work more just to gain water, energy, and food for their families, thereby consuming time that could have been used for earning a living or adapting. An October 2021 report based on polling in the UK found that 78% of people surveyed expressed some degree of eco-anxiety. It found that women (45%) were substantially more likely to report high levels of eco-anxiety compared to men (36%). Similar observations have been reported worldwide, including European and African countries. Countries facing adverse effects of climate conditions, such as India, the Philippines, and Nigeria, have recorded increasing rates of functional impact due to climate change distress. Heat stress is among the key aggravating factors in these areas, particularly for women who engage in agricultural activities or other outdoor jobs, which may result in forced relocation. A 2023 study claimed that eco-anxiety is more prevalent in women because 80% of climate migrants are women. Climate change often plays a role in reproductive planning, as eco-anxiety increases women’s reluctance to childbearing due to worries about a bleak future and carbon footprint. A survey conducted by the New York Times in 2018 found that 33% of women who chose not to have children cited climate change as a reason. However, in nations where unpredictable climate change disrupts farming routines, families may opt for having more children to ensure an adequate labor supply for survival, rather than adhering to the trend of low fertility. This economic and cultural complexity indicates that, while women in the West might decide to go childfree as an environmental measure, women in low-SES, climate-vulnerable areas face tough choices on reproduction. Climate anxiety and the question of whether to have children can also be intersected with racial discrimination, as underlined by Jade Sasser in
Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question (2024). As racialized communities suffer from racism and are more vulnerable and unequally impacted by climate change, the question of whether to have children or not is all more difficult. This problem has received little attention and is revealing of the White centered society we live in.”
Indigenous peoples Indigenous populations are especially vulnerable to eco-anxiety and other climate-caused emotional responses, because of their reliance on their land and land-based activities for their livelihood and well-being. A 2021 study found that indigenous populations who were exposed to environmental changes associated with climate change, like
species loss,
droughts, rising temperatures, and erratic weather patterns, were most likely to experience a decrease in mental wellbeing. This decrease can be expressed as eco-anxiety, but also as other climate related emotional responses, like eco-anger. == Symptoms ==