Climate anxiety or eco-anxiety is now at the top of the list of vital global challenges of all time. People are becoming increasingly aware of the current and future global crises associated with climate change. And the crises are leaving long-term imprints on physical and mental health. To combat climate change, ESG consulting firms are joining hands with enterprises to take urgent actions to protect not only the Earth but also the mental health of the young minds who stand to inherit the planet.

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Climate Change
Affecting Millennials &
Gen Z: Reports of
Climate Anxiety Rising
Climate crises top the list of vital global challenges of all time.
While bleak headlines shine the limelight on climate change, there
is an urgent need to address it. Given the rising cases of what

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psychologists call “eco-anxiety”, climate crises are impacting our
mental health.
Climate anxiety or eco-anxiety is gaining attention worldwide.
People are becoming increasingly aware of the current and future
global crises associated with climate change. But the crises are
leaving long-term imprints on physical and mental health.
What is eco-anxiety?
Eco-anxiety can be defined as distress over what has already
been lost, as concern over climate crisis or other environmental
threats, and their effects on our present and the future. Eco-
anxiety is exacerbating health and social inequalities between
young minds vulnerable to psychological impacts.
This rise is a wake-up call for world leaders to take decisive action
to tackle the rising climate emergency.
Increasing levels of eco-anxiety, also known as the chronic fear of
environmental doom, is damaging to many in the long term.
Although not yet deemed as a diagnosable condition, recognition
of eco-anxiety and its complex psychological effects are on the
rise.
Young people are “excessively” concerned about the rising climate
crisis, according to the data, published by researchers from the
University of Bath in the United Kingdom.
If –the question is, how are young people coping with eco-
anxiety?
The answer is “not well”.

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Evidence: Statistical analysis
The researchers with the U.K.’s University of Bath and other schools
surveyed 10,000 people, between the age of aged 16 and 25 from
10 countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, France,
Australia, India, Finland, Portugal, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Brazil,
to gauge their feelings about climate change.
The overall response could be summed up in one expression:
“incredibly worried”. The respondents also emphasized the fact
that they think the governments aren’t doing enough to combat
climate crises.
Results show that nearly-
1. 75% described the future as “frightening”,
2. 60% said they were “extremely” worried about climate change,
3. 45% said their thoughts about climate change negatively affected their
daily life and functioning, and
4. 83% believe we as a community have failed to take care of the planet.
When questioned about the struggles, the respondents selected-
1. Climate change at 41%,
2. Global warming at 57%, highest among environmental issues,
3. corruption at 36%, as one of the most important issues at a national level,
4. terrorism at 31%
5. economic instability at 26%,

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6. pollution at 26%,
7. income inequality at 25%,
8. climate change at 22%, and
9. violence against women at 21%
Feelings of helplessness
Young people’s emotions relate to their feelings of betrayal and
abandonment by governments and adults. With governments
failing to respond adequately to the plea, the young individuals
are experiencing feelings of “no future” and “humanity doomed”.
For many, these emotions of fear and worry affect their ability to
function in day-to-day life too.
Read more: “The Ultimate Climate Action”: The Hottest New Tech
Trend Is Going 24/7 Carbon-Free, Not Carbon-Neutral

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Key highlights of the survey:
1. Three-quarters of respondents described the future as “frightening”.
2. 64% of young respondents said that governments are not doing enough
to avert the climate crisis.
3. Half said their anxieties about climate change are negatively impacting
their daily lives.
4. More than half said they are concerned about the future of the planet.
Governments around the globe must protect the mental health of
young changemakers by initiating action against climate change.
Leaders across the world have been neglecting the crises, casting
doubt on humanity’s future. More than anyone, the future, that is
marching on the way of destruction, belongs to young people.
The Psychological Burdens
Climate crises are causing distress, anger, and other negative
emotions in children and young people worldwide. This ‘eco-

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anxiety’ is hampering their daily lives. Chronic stress over climate
crises is adding to the risk of mental and physical problems. If
severe weather events worsen, their mental health impacts are
likely to follow.
Read more: “Net-Zero by 2070”: #COP26 Climate Deal, Here Are
the 5 Biggest Talking Points
A Generation Betrayed
The study warns that the government’s inaction is psychologically
damaging and potentially violates international human rights law.
The rising anxiety among Gen Z is a completely rational reaction to
the inadequate responses from the government to climate
change crises. They are worried and angry about what they see
ahead. It is a future they feel could have been prevented, given
prompt measures would have been implemented on time.
The younger generation is now mobilizing and taking the
government administration to court; claiming that failure to act on
climate crises violates their human rights.
The survey also highlighted one unusual statistic.
48% of respondents reported that they were dismissed or ignored
when they tried to initiate a conversation about climate change
with others.
The study inferred that there’s a correlation between the young
people’s negative emotions and beliefs that government
responses to climate crises have been inadequate. The way
governments have been addressing or failing to address the
climate crises is directly impacting the mental health of young
people.

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What are young people doing to help
solve the environmental distress?
Scientists have been warning of the threat of global warming and
its impact on the climate for decades. Regardless, the government
kept averting and dodging the issues over other existing crises.
Owing to the lack of action from global governments, young
people are now taking it upon themselves to rise from these
crises.
Young climate activists like Greta Thunberg and others are taking
to the streets to protest against the lack of action on climate
change. Many new climate activists are offering and arranging
local workshops and training a generation that wants to support
the cause and become “changemakers”.
Young, politically savvy climate activists are taking all the right
measures to make their voices heard. Instead of trying to control
or channel activism, the government and adults should be joining
them to ensure that all of us have a decent future to look forward
to.
The environmental crisis protests are catching the eye of
sustainable and environmentally conscious investors. Global
assets have seen a surge in sustainability-related investment
criteria. Employing meaningful action that addresses climate

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emergency, reduces inequality, and imposes genuine reforms to
end abuses of power will benefit us in tackling the climate crises
and emerge into a new decade of reforms.
Read more: 100% Clean Energy? The US Need Not Look Beyond
Solar, Wind, and Hydropower. Here’s Why
How ESG Consulting & Sustainable
Investing could calm this rising eco-
anxiety?
The chronic psychological fear of environmental meltdown or eco-
anxiety is on the rise. Increasing numbers of young people are
feeling overwhelmed by the rising challenge of climate change.
The rising crises like record-breaking temperatures, melting ice
sheets, and higher levels of greenhouse gases are taking a toll on
mental health and adding to the physical implications of climate
change. The concerns of higher temperature increase are
compounding our sense of helplessness and the failure to make
any meaningful progress.
Sustainable Investing to calm the rising eco-anxiety is the need of
the hour. Adapting and integrating a sustainable way could
potentially boost psychological well-being. Applying an
exclusionary screening procedure, followed by ESG integration into
the investment process can assist the government in making
more sustainability-themed investments.

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Final Thoughts
Young people around the globe are extremely worried about the
climate crisis and are frustrated at governments’ quiescence in
the face of the planet’s miserable future. Climate anxiety and
dissatisfaction with the government are widespread in the minds
of children and young people across nations and it is impacting
their day-to-day life.
Perceived negligence of the governments towards the climate
crisis is being associated with increased distress.
Combating climate change individually isn’t enough. There is a
dire need for further research into the emotional impact of climate
change on young people. Governments need to validate this
distress by taking urgent action on climate change. Those in
power hold a responsibility to act to not only protect the Earth but
also the mental health of the young minds who stand to inherit the
planet.
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