Distress about Climate Change and Climate Action

Based on a December 2022 survey of 1,085 U.S. adults, this report finds that individuals experiencing climate-related distress—such as anxiety or depression—are significantly more likely to engage in and be willing to undertake climate actions compared to those without such distress. While climate distress can be maladaptive, the findings suggest it can also serve as a motivator for proactive behavior, including political advocacy and community engagement, which may in turn help individuals cope constructively.

• Approximately 10% of Americans reported experiencing at least one symptom of climate distress, defined as feeling nervous, anxious, unable to stop worrying, or feeling depressed and hopeless because of global warming.
• Americans experiencing climate distress are significantly more likely to have already taken action than those without distress. Specifically, 46% of distressed individuals had signed a petition about global warming compared to 10% of non-distressed individuals, and 19% had volunteered at a global warming organization compared to 2% of those without distress.
• Individuals reporting climate distress show a higher willingness to engage in future or more assertive climate actions. This includes meeting with elected officials (41% vs. 20%), contacting government officials via letter, email, or phone (40% vs. 21%), and engaging in non-violent civil disobedience such as blockades or sit-ins (35% vs. 9%).
• Climate-distressed Americans are more likely to participate in or join campaigns to influence elected officials (56% vs. 19%) and are more likely to discuss global warming with friends and family (65% vs. 31%) than those who report no distress.
• While climate distress can lead to maladaptive behaviors like avoidance, it can also function adaptively by motivating proactive behavior. Engaging in climate action and joining social movements can help individuals manage negative emotions and build resilience.

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (2023). Distress about Climate Change and Climate Action. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/distress-about-climate-change-and-climate-action/

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Distress about Climate Change and Climate Action. 2023. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/distress-about-climate-change-and-climate-action/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |title=Distress about Climate Change and Climate Action |date=3 August 2023 |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/distress-about-climate-change-and-climate-action/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaleprogramonclimatechangecommunication2023distress, author = {{Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Distress about Climate Change and Climate Action}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, year = {2023}, month = aug, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/distress-about-climate-change-and-climate-action/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }