A new global study has revealed that most young people are very concerned about the future of the planet. The study, which was published in a medical journal, asked 10,000 young people from 10 different countries how they felt about climate change. The results showed that:
- Almost 60 percent of them were apprehensive about the planet’s future
- Nearly half of them said that this worry affected them every day
- Three-quarters of them agreed that the future was scary
These findings are not surprising. Climate change is a severe threat to the environment and our well-being. Many experts have called these feelings of sadness, stress, and fear “eco-anxiety.” Eco-anxiety is the distress that we feel when we see the harmful effects of climate change. It is not only a problem for young people. It also affects scientists who study the climate and people who live in poor areas that suffer the most from climate disasters.
In 2024, eco-anxiety will be one of the leading causes of mental health problems. There are many reasons for this. Scientists predict that the world will get too hot by 2027. We have already seen many fires, floods, and droughts around the world. These events affect our health and happiness. Studies have shown that people who live in polluted and hot places are more likely to feel depressed and anxious.
But there is also a lack of political leadership. The world leaders are not doing enough to stop climate change. An oil and gas company will lead the next climate conference in Dubai. The UK government is not keeping its promises to go green.
However, eco-anxiety is not something that we should try to get rid of. It is not a mental illness. It is a normal and reasonable response to a real problem. Caroline Hickman, a researcher on eco-anxiety, says that we should not treat eco-anxiety as a disease. She says that eco-anxiety is a sign that we care about the planet and that we want to do something about it. She suggests that we use eco-anxiety as a force for good—as a motivation to take action and protect the planet.
How eco-anxiety can lead to positive change?
In 2024, we will also see more people joining the movement for climate justice and looking for green jobs. They will demand that the fossil fuel companies and the governments that support them stop using coal, oil, and gas. These are the primary sources of greenhouse gases that cause climate change. They are also the primary sources of pollution that cause mental health problems. Eco-anxiety is not something that we can solve with therapy. We can only solve it by taking action.
Eco-anxiety is not a negative emotion. It is a positive emotion. It shows that we are aware of the climate crisis and that we want to make a difference. It can help us to work together and create a better future for ourselves and the planet.
