Story Spark: Climate Anxiety

The document outlines the prevalence of climate anxiety, particularly among youth and vulnerable populations, and advises journalists to treat these feelings as reasonable responses to environmental threats rather than pathologies. It emphasizes the link between climate distress and pro-environmental action and provides a directory of resources for both reporters and the public.

• Climate anxiety is widespread, with a national study indicating that 64% of Americans are at least "somewhat worried" about climate change, and over 10% experience stronger feelings of hopelessness and nervousness. A separate study across 11 countries found that climate anxiety affects the daily lives of nearly half of the surveyed teens and young adults.
• Experts suggest that journalists should frame climate anxiety as a reasonable response to the climate crisis rather than a pathology, noting that it is distinct from generalized anxiety disorder. The term "climate distress" is recommended as the most encompassing label to cover various emotions including grief, fear, and anger.
• Climate anxiety is not solely a negative mental health issue; research indicates a strong association between these feelings and increased climate action and pro-environmental behavior.
• Certain groups are more susceptible to climate distress, including children, women and girls, Indigenous Peoples, frontline climate professionals, first responders, farmers, fisherpeople, and Black and Latino communities in the US.

APA

CCNow (2024). Story Spark: Climate Anxiety. Covering Climate Now. https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-climate-anxiety/

Chicago

CCNow. Story Spark: Climate Anxiety. Covering Climate Now, 2024. https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-climate-anxiety/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=CCNow |title=Story Spark: Climate Anxiety |publisher=Covering Climate Now |date=22 October 2024 |url=https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-climate-anxiety/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ccnow2024story, author = {CCNow}, title = {{Story Spark: Climate Anxiety}}, institution = {Covering Climate Now}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-climate-anxiety/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }