Experts are raising concerns about the growing mental health impact of the climate crisis, particularly on young people. The phenomenon, known as climate anxiety, is affecting individuals who are overwhelmed by the reality of ecological breakdown or who have experienced traumatic climate events.
Clover Hogan, a 20-year-old from London who grew up in Australia, described feeling overwhelmed and terrified by the bushfires ravaging her homeland. She said the news of half a billion animals dying in the fires left her feeling distraught and heartbroken.
Dr Patrick Kennedy-Williams, a clinical psychologist from Oxford, noted that climate scientists and researchers are experiencing anxiety, burnout, and professional paralysis due to the barrage of negative information. He also highlighted that even young children are showing signs of environment-related stress, citing his own six-year-old daughter asking if humanity is winning the war against climate change.
Kennedy-Williams emphasised that the cure for climate anxiety is action. He encourages people to take small steps, celebrate changes, and connect with others, while recognising that solving the problem is not an individual responsibility. Hogan has launched Force of Nature, an initiative to help young people aged 11-24 navigate their anxiety and take action on the climate crisis.
