Climate Change and the Untold Story of Ecoanxiety

Anthropogenic activity has escalated the planet’s temperature and resulted in dire consequences on our environment, and our health, whether physical or mental. The imbalance created in the planet’s environmental conditions has consequently caused a rupture in mental health, and ecoanxiety has become one of the adverse indirect repercussions. Not quite recently, a sense of urgency has been spreading in the literature of climate change, evoking a call for action, and requesting commitment from us all: individuals, communities, and countries. This paper attempts to establish a link between the climate crisis and ecoanxiety in the aim to restore our cognition of our roles to save the planet, salvage our health and preserve, and conserve, environmental resources for future generations.

States will be sorely tempted to ration limited resources, to micromanage economic activity, and in the interest of the environment to specify from above what citizens may or may not do. ‘Quality-of-life’ experts might define in an authoritarian way what kind of needs people are permitted to satisfy.

Ernst Ulrich von Weizsacker [1]

Climate change is a multidimensional crisis that has been expanding and worsening over the past several decades creating disruption and disequilibrium to our natural environment, biodiversity as well as our health and wellbeing [2]. There are numerous root causes for a changing earth climate. The aim of this research paper is to review the reasons attributed to climate change from a resource perspective; highlighting that industrialization and the fast-paced developmental aims towards economic growth have both exhausted the planet’s resources and affected its climate. And to further shed light on the negative effects impacted on humans’ mental health and wellbeing induced by the rising heat, melting polar ice and rising sea levels, desertification and drought, storms and hurricanes, and the adjacent human calamities thus produced [3]. Therefore, the changes in temperatures are only the tip of the iceberg, underneath which lies multiple negative repercussions that adversely affect our life on earth and our ability to sustain the present ecosystems, and consequently economic growth and development.

It is necessary to understand how climate change is likely to affect people’s physical and mental health in order to prepare for the liable impacts on our daily lives, attempt to produce viable solutions and ultimately raise awareness for a clearer perspective on how to deal with and prepare for adverse climate conditions. The purpose is threefold: review the human-induced reasons that led to the change in climate; examine the resulting ecoanxiety and ultimately explore how human activity can be adjusted to reduce changes in climate and tolerate the adverse effects.

Industrialization and extractivism

The discovery of fossil fuels had been a milestone in human history which had initiated the era of industrialization and turned the economic growth wheel, but at a cost [4]. Progressive changes were beyond imagination, and the world experienced forward quantum leaps in transportation, manufacturing, global trade, agriculture and food products, medicine and health, urbanization, technological inventions, and innovations. Population growth and consumption followed suit, which in turn placed pressure on the environment.

At one hand, extraction of natural resources produces waste, which causes long-term damage to the environment. The raw materials used for production were extensively extracted causing environmental damage to earth, and the use of energy in industries produced emissions that affected the earth’s atmosphere. Resource scarcity has been embedded in western thought since the writings of Malthus (1798). The late fifties witnessed an upsurge in the exploration and excavation of raw materials, and a rise in consumption of minerals and metals along with a spike in gross national product (GNP) per capita growth rates. The augmenting use of resources entailed an increased production of waste, and the excessive consumption of products led to increase in waste.

Rees [5] highlights that academic discourse showed a pessimistic outlook towards availability of resources. The economists predicted depletion of energy resources, minerals, etc. Malthus theorized a fixed number of resources as opposed to augmenting consumption due to population growth and accordingly economic disasters were foreseen. Scarcity of resources was summarized by Rees [5] in four categories: depletion of energy, minerals, and metals with increased mining and extractivism; disruption of ecological cycles due to pollution which leads to destruction of life on the planet; degradation of renewable resources such as air, water, soil, and aquaculture; and deterioration of amenities, such as rivers banks and sea beaches due to pollution from hazardous waste. The term “ecological footprint” was coined to hypothesize the area of land, soil, and water which humans would need to sustain their living in terms of production, consumption, and waste [6]. Ecologically reducing use of resources has become more necessary than ever before. Questioning what lies ahead, one has to identify and realize the complexity of the ecological and economic systems and how to penetrate them to induce change.

Urbanization, production, consumption and waste

Technological and industrial advances have been manifested in excessive production and extensive urbanization. Moving from the rural to the urban in search for better living conditions has boosted economic growth but has also put pressure on cities and produced slums. The relationship between economic growth and the urban sprawl has been well-established in research; cities and urban centers are now attracting more than half of the world’s population, and it is estimated that 60% of the world will be living in urban areas [7]. The quality of life in urban centers has attracted larger numbers of people who have enjoyed higher standards of living and better access to education, healthcare, housing, employment opportunities, and resources. However, rising urban population has come at a cost. Energy consumption has surged, greenhouse gas emissions from factories and vehicles have led to deterioration in air quality and in turn contributed to health and climate problems. In addition, increased waste has direly affected the quality of resources, polluting water and soil.

With the betterment of the quality of life, and urbanization, population increased and so did waste. Municipal and industrial waste became a predicament of modern societies. Waste is produced upon extraction of resources, and the remnants of resources enter the ecosystem in the form of pollution. The other side of economic development hence exposed a dual calamity: exhaustion of resources and waste production that adversely affected the environment [7].

Urban dwellers adopted lifestyles that promoted high consumption rates, thus adding to the bill of carbon emissions and consequently climate change. Heightened consumerism has fed the production sector with incessant demand on goods and services; simultaneously, the drive for profitmaking has spurred the production sector into excessive production modes, thus creating a vicious circle of endless demand and supply that relies on marketing techniques which entangle and enslave consumers [7]. We are living an era that completely relies on modern technology, energy, and vehicles, and consequently, we are experiencing the undesired effects on the environment.

Observing climate change, research has definitively asserted that global warming of the planet is the result of human continued actions in overusing the planet’s natural resources in excessive production, which, on one hand, promoted economic growth and on the other hand produced environmental waste. As temperature rise, changes happen in disease vectors, in ground level ozone and natural disasters. Drought and scarcity of water are an impinging adversity of unprecedented hot weather. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [8] has highlighted the current situation: the greenhouse gas emissions, which are the result of heightened human activities, have reach unprecedented high levels, and are negatively impacting the climate; polar ice is melting due to high temperatures and consequently sea levels are rising and posing threat to coastal cities; heatwaves are expected to intensify and elongate resulting in rising and acidifying sea levels. Immediate action is needed, otherwise we will all suffer from destructive realities that are looming closely rather than threats.

We are living in cities with an infrastructure that was designed and built to meet the needs of a set of climate conditions that are rapidly changing; hence, the planning and design of living spaces will have to take into consideration the changes in temperature, water resources, erosion of coastal cities and the aging buildings that cannot endure the abrupt and continuously changing weather systems. During extreme weather conditions, not only physical plants are damaged but also services and facilities are disrupted, which pose threats to health. For example, disconnected phonelines are common during storms which make it difficult to call for help or reach a healthcare unit. Exposure to increased heat can threaten human physical and mental health, as well as biodiversity. For instance, wildfires pose a threat to wildlife and habitat, flora, and fauna, nevertheless, they are also a source of disruption to humans exposed to them, whether physically or mentally [2]. The associated health hazards affect lungs and breathing, and mental health traumas for children, vulnerable, women, the elderly. The devastation is enormous, and no one can really picture the repercussions except those exposed to such disasters.

That said, the reactions among people do not counteract the severity of climate change. Denial and slow response have marked the public’s reaction to a problem that may have been dimmed in comparison to other global challenges, namely economic development, political strife, and environmental problems. The concept of climate change is not perceived as an immediate threat to biodiversity; the western discourse on climate change has pictured climate change as a future expected phenomenon that is not directly related to industrialization, fossil fuels deforestation [9]. Moreover, lack of knowledge prevails regarding the means to tackle it. We have to admit the idea of reciprocity, the consequences of human action during the past few decades have reciprocated in the form of higher levels of pollution and high global temperatures. To understand what is going on, we have to track down the climate change effects on human health. The focus of this essay is on the threats posed to mental health and the repercussions that we can strive to avoid.

Ecoanxiety: A taxonomy of terms

There have been several warnings about the changing climate. Notably, Al Gore’s [10] documentary: An Inconvenient Truth can provide an eminent example. However, the subsequent feelings of fear and worry were not considered for possible remediation and treatment. First, we have to admit the presence of those set of feelings in order to know how to deal with them. There are several terms used to describe the feelings resulting from climate change, and it is necessary that we understand the different emotions associated with our changing climate, or the eco-emotions. Ecoanxiety and eco-depression express how we feel towards tumultuous unpredictable weather; while the former term displays avoidance, the latter infers withdrawal. We are faced with eco-guilt compared to eco-remorse, and eco-anger as opposed to eco-annoyance. Eco-paralysis is the feeling of inability to take action towards moderating climate change impacts, whereas solastalgia is the feeling of isolation due to the removal of solace due to displacement from one’s home [9]. Recognizing, defining, and enlisting these concepts into behavioral psychology can help in developing emotional goals that can counteract the negative emotions towards climate change, and help conceptualizing the disruptive feelings that stem from the changing ecological status of our surroundings. Ultimately, the aim is to address climate health issues, enhance our emotional preparedness and foster resilience of the communities towards the climate phenomenon [11].

Ecoanxiety defined

Ecoanxiety or climate anxiety stems from the human dependence on science to harness natural resources, and which has now led to an imbalance in the biosphere that has caused a backlash on nature, and thus we are faced with a dimmed unpredictable future [12]. Ecoanxiety can be defined as fear of ecological change and environmental disasters; ecoanxiety and eco-depression are not clinically recognized disorders. The term encompasses the set of people’s reactions towards climate change; how they act, think and feel in cases of environmental disasters whether acute or chronic [13]. While research has documented the physical health effects of climate change, the potential risks of climate anxiety have been neglected; mental and psychological effects of disasters have been overlooked [10,14]. It is worth noting that the mental and psychological impacts of environmental disasters outweigh the physical injuries [9]. Shedding light on this set of disrupted human feelings can converge our thoughts into probing a way out. Obviously, humans are encountering a unique predicament that questions our survival on earth, our future and that of forthcoming generations. While there are numerous efforts among the leaderships of developed and developing countries to reduce carbon emissions, the commercial and financial interests of big companies wreak havoc with the targeted reductions in fossil fuel gases. Realistically, we are all using fossil fuels, we cannot alter our way of living overnight, we cannot go back to medieval ages and stop using transportation that burns fossil fuels. Fear of changing our lifestyle puts us under pressure and also becoming aware that this same lifestyle hurts our environment, and our health, creates a sense of eco-guilt that leaves us clueless, desperate and worried about change. Heightened consumerism has become an integral part of our lives and our self-identity, and “in giving up an unsustainable consumer lifestyle, we are threatening the identity of this part of ourselves, one we are mostly not aware of but will fight tooth and nail to protect [12].”

Despite the prevailing evidence that climate is changing, and the earth is warming at unprecedented rate, there are populations that are still unaware of the negative repercussions of the climate; I can avow to that. And those who are cognizant of climate change are experiencing a sense of denial and sometimes blame on bigger corporations, oil companies or countries that have enormous carbon footprint. The fact is we are all in this together. A question arises: can we get rid of our vehicles, stop traveling by planes, and quit shopping? The thought of doing any of this can bring about a lot of worries, and the thought of the deteriorating environment can evoke even more anxiety.

Acute changes vs. chronic changes

Acute events that induce psychological trauma: injuries, death of family members, damage of houses, loss of livelihood due to extreme climate-induced events, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, landslides. Hurricane Katrina is a prominent example of how mental wellbeing can be forgone for other disaster-induced physical implications [14]. The focus has been on the injuries rather than the incited mental disruptions.

Human reaction to acute events is evident in smoking, substance abuse or addiction, unhealthy food choices and suicidal reaction. Emotional reaction after a disaster is manifest in depression, emotional distress, fear, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), grief, major trauma of loss, relational difficulties with other people, and provoke suicidal attempts [9]. Cianconi, et al. [15] report the extent of mental repercussions of wildfires; 42% of Australians exposed to bushfires were diagnosed as psychiatric cases, 33% of Californians exposed to wildfires showed symptoms of major depression, Greek wildfire exposure showed similar effects.

Chronic effects are the slow, long-term impacts that affect wellbeing, but are subtle and happen gradually. Slow degradation of the affected areas can eventually lead to people abandoning impacted cities, which will certainly have its economic effect as well as its financial stresses on the people residing in these inflicted cities. The feelings of distress and loss of people’s hometowns can gravely affect their wellbeing.

Temperature and heatedness increase irritability, and in turn violence, raise risk of suicide. Limiting outdoor activities due to heat, increases stress with reduced recreation, which in turn affects physical fitness. Evidence in research shows the relationship between rising heat levels and increased mortality and morbidity rates [9].

Drought changes landscapes, disrupts water resources, which affects agriculture and results in food insecurity and famine, thus contributing to emotional stress. Acts of violence and aggression can arise due to scarce water resources, thus exacerbating the feelings of anxiety. Water is a vital resource for the sustenance of life, and water shortages can be very irritating let alone bearing the consequences of water conflicts between nations. A study done on Australian farmers, in 2008, reported increased stress level in 75% of the farmers due to longtime drought [9].

Migration displacement is a form of uprootedness that has emerged because of environmental disasters, eco-migration, and environmental refugees. The decision to leave one’s homeland results in a detachment, a disruption to their livelihoods and stability. They become more vulnerable, torn, and broken, losing their identity, culture, and heritage. By the year 2050, an estimated population of 200 million migrants will be displaced due to climate change conditions [9]. Conflicts and migration in war-torn Syria can be attributed to degradation of land, in addition to scarcity of water and food [9].

Loss and disruption caused to everyday life, changes in jobs and occupations due to climate change, result in a sense of loss of identity, and feelings of hopelessness. Economic losses and decreased productivity affect uncertainty and frustration levels [2].

Worry and uncertainty we are delving into unknown territories, therefore, research is needed to determine the percentage of ecoanxiety. More populations are feeling powerless, helpless, angry, frustrated, and lost [3].

Disrupted social networks due to displacement, loss of identity, causes anger, aggression, and conflicts. Loss of oneself and despair, which affects our ability to cope. Moreover, in rural areas, the map of agricultural regions and crops will be overhauled due to the changing temperatures, which can be pronounced into inventing new alternative ways of planting crops. However, changing the traditional ways of agriculture will take time, and those working in farming will have to endure the shock of the climate instability [2].

Illnesses and physical diseases induced by changes in weather conditions can cause drastic changes in families’ lives and lead to disrupted lifestyles, which put caregivers and patients under stress and fatigue.

Inequities created: The effect of climate change on vulnerable populations

Changes in climate conditions have a considerable toll on marginalized communities: women, the elderly, children, low-income communities, having disabilities, indigenous communities. Intersectionality of gender, race, culture, education, and socioeconomic status place these communities at considerable risk of suffering from climate change. Environmental and social injustices are magnified in the case of the marginalized, who undergo mental health disruptions which further add to their calamities [9]. Social inequalities, environmental racism and poverty compound the effect of climate change on vulnerable people [10]. Hurricane Katrina survivors from vulnerable populations showed symptoms of PTSD [9]. Inequities exist among countries and regions alike. While Hayes, et al. [13] stressed the importance of integrating vulnerability assessments within the framework of mental health impacts of the climate, acceptance of the marginalized provides a coping strategy that increases community resilience in challenging times.

The way forward: Climate action vs. climate emergency

Mitigating climate change necessitates immediate action. Redefining our way of living is a case in point. Urgent transition to renewable energy resources and limiting fossil fuels is of paramount importance. Adapting to climate change is another tenet on our way towards annulling the effects of climate change. The Paris Accord, the Lancet Countdown on Climate Change and the Planetary Manifesto are depictions of global initiatives to mediate the climate calamity, however, there is a gap between these goals and the actions taken by individuals, corporations, and governments [9]. Collaboration is crucial among the different disciplines: climate scientists, epidemiologists, physicians, urban planners, economists, politicians, public health professionals, psychologists, policymakers. We need a holistic overview of the problems of climate change and a breakdown of the actions to be taken, bearing in mind that every country or region must carry the responsibility of enacting the steps towards mitigation and adaptation.

Accommodating ecoanxiety as well as admitting the dire psychological effects of the changing climate is a huge step along the way of resolving the climate crisis. Injecting hope, empathy and resilience among the afflicted communities, and the world at large, can instill a sense of oneness and belonging to our earth. Promoting mental health literacy is essential to raise awareness among the public regarding how they feel after a disaster and helps them how to prepare for upcoming uncertainties [13]. It is also important to relieve the stigma of mental health therapy and the associated connotations with psychological illness [13].

It is time to initiate climate conversations that are compassionate, realistic, and responsive. Collective and conscious efforts are key to progress. It is also necessary to understand that a huge part of the anxiety in the affluent societies is due to fear of the future and despise at the older generations for ruining the environment. On the contrary, another part of our world rejects the fact that climate change is happening, and a third party are noncognizant of the concept! Nevertheless, I believe that we do have the power to determine our future, it is not dictated upon us. We can choose a more sustainable way of living, and act immediately towards this goal. We can ease our ecoanxiety with more sustainable living practices. It is definitely our choice.

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