A new survey of 10 000 young people between 16 and 25 across 10 countries has found that nearly 60% of respondents say they are very worried or extremely worried about climate change.
According to the BBC, more say feelings about the climate affected their daily lives. Three quarters say they think the future is frightening, and over half (56%) say they think humanity is doomed.
The survey was led by Bath University in collaboration with five universities.
The report says many of those questioned perceive that they have no future; that humanity is doomed, and that governments are failing to respond adequately.
The authors of the report on the survey say chronic stress over climate change is increasing the risk of mental and physical problems. And if severe weather events worsen, mental health impacts will follow.
Lead author, Caroline Hickman from Bath University, told BBC News: ‘This shows eco-anxiety is not just for environmental destruction alone, but inextricably linked to government inaction on climate change. The young feel abandoned and betrayed by governments.
‘We’re not just measuring how they feel, but what they think. Four out of 10 are hesitant to have children.’
[Image: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay]