Eco-anxiety is the perception of having one’s future compromised by a world in peril, environmental disorders and their consequences. It encompasses anxiety related to climate change, as well as anxiety over a multiplicity of environmental disasters, including the elimination of entire ecosystems and plant and animal species. This distress in relation to the ecological emergency generates anxiety, but also anger, sadness and fear. Not to mention guilt and feelings of helplessness.
You may also have seen the term solastalgia which relates to retrospective and not prospective distress. solastalgia is an anxiety related to the loss of an environment that we have known, which has been degraded and that we risk not finding once more, while eco-anxiety is a concern for the future. This feeling is undoubtedly reinforced by the many post-apocalyptic series and films that are currently abounding on our screens.
Eco-anxiety can paralyze, and even lead to real depression. It can also lead to a reconsideration of professional, educational or food choices eco-anxiety. In September 2021, a study published in the journal The Lancet Planetary Health revealed that 45% of young people surveyed were affected by eco-anxiety in their daily lives.
The study, which was conducted by researchers from American, British and Finnish universities among 10,000 young people aged 16 to 25 in ten countries (Australia, Brazil, United States, Finland, France, India, Nigeria, Philippines, Portugal and the United Kingdom), reveals another dark reality: 75% of young people questioned judge the future “frightening”, 56% believe that “humanity is doomed”, and 55% that they will have fewer opportunities than their parents.
And unfortunately, the Glasgow climate conference, COP 26, did little to reassure us. Remember already that it started on the failure of wealthy nations to meet the $100 billion annual funding pledge that should have been made from 2020 to help less wealthy nations mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to it. Revealing a real credibility gap between promises and results! So yes, a new implementation plan from the COP presidency provided a revised timeline for 2023, but without any discussion of the shortfall from 2020-22. This has highlighted current tensions over financing, as well as ambiguity over what exactly is meant by climate finance, and does not bode well for discussions on increasing adaptation finance and losses. and damage.
Don’t look far for an example of eco-anxiety. Take Greta Thunberg. The young Swedish activist decided to act following suffering from depression at the age of 11. Closer to us, read it testimony of Lila-Brune18 ans.
