Why Are We So Anxious About Earth?

1.9.23
What Happens Next?
Why Are We So Anxious About Earth? | 83

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The world’s heating up, and so is our anxiety.

Climate anxiety, or eco-anxiety, is an unprecedented and growing mental health crisis. How do we wrestle with a planet-sized problem?

This week, host Dr Susan Carland begins a three-part exploration of climate anxiety. She’s joined by Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie, who defines climate anxiety as a rational concern about our future – or the lack of one.

Monash University’s Dr Rhonda Garad has found that climate anxiety’s impact on young people is especially pronounced, leading them to make major life decisions early.

Dr Susie Ho, a regular attendee of the UN’s Conference of the Parties, is concerned about young people’s avenues for advocacy. She discusses their feelings of powerlessness and anger stemming from the lack of effective action, which has led to a surge in climate activism.

Although there are parallels between previous global existential threats and the dangers of climate change, Professor Alan Reid believes climate anxiety is distinct due to its long-term nature and lack of government and corporate action.

These entities play a significant role in addressing climate anxiety. Unfortunately, as Australian Conservation Foundation CEO Kelly O'Shanassy points out, they’ve failed to address the challenge, exacerbating our fears.

A full transcript of this episode is available on Monash Lens.

Learn more:

• Mini-documentary: “Climate change education: Learning our way out of a crisis”
• Eco-anxiety and climate change through the eyes of the next generation
• Climate change: Collective action counters government inaction

“What Happens Next?” will be back next week with part two of this series, ‘How Can We Conquer Climate Anxiety?’.

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