Climate change anxiety is pushing Americans toward collective climate action

By Priyanjana Pramanik, MSc.Reviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Oct 15 2024

New research reveals that while climate anxiety drives many Americans to take action on climate change, those with severe distress may struggle to engage, highlighting the need for mental health support in the fight against environmental threats.

Study: Climate change psychological distress is associated with increased collective climate action in the U.S. Image Credit: Triff / Shutterstock

In a recent study published in the journal npj Climate Action, researchers used data from two national surveys in the United States to examine the influence of climate-related psychological distress, measured using clinical tools, on climate action.

Their results indicate that at least 16% of American adults are experiencing at least one symptom of psychological distress related to climate change and that these are people who are most likely to take part in pro-environmental, especially collective climate action.

However, the study also found that the relationship between distress and action is non-linear, with moderate distress levels promoting action but very high distress potentially hindering engagement.

Background

Climate change impacts mental health, with extreme weather events like heat waves and floods contributing to stress. Previous surveys suggest that 7% of American adults face serious psychological distress due to climate anxiety, which is severe enough to affect day-to-day functioning. This is particularly affecting daily functioning in young people and has been linked to higher levels of worry and depression among pregnant women.

Awareness of climate risks and perceived inaction adds to mental health burdens, especially for vulnerable groups such as Indigenous and Black communities, low-income individuals, and older adults who disproportionately bear the impacts of climate change.

People can engage with climate issues either through individual actions by reducing energy use or collective actions such as civic involvement and advocacy. The paper highlights that collective actions that influence policies and spread pro-environmental norms are among the most effective ways to address climate change.

There is a lack of mental health resources to help people adapt and cope with climate-related challenges. One approach to finding solutions to distress, which psychologists call ‘problem-focused coping strategies,’ includes climate action and has been linked to better mental health outcomes.

Researchers have found positive but nuanced links between climate distress and climate action, though severe distress could hinder some individuals’ actions. This non-linear relationship suggests that while moderate levels of distress may boost pro-environmental behaviors, very high levels could lead to decreased participation. Higher climate anxiety has been associated with increased pro-environmental behaviors and participation in protests in many countries.

About the study

In this study, researchers used national survey data to test the strength of the relationship between psychological distress caused by climate change and collective climate action. The study controlled for several variables, such as political ideology and collective efficacy beliefs, to ensure more accurate results.

They examined whether Hispanic and Latino people and younger adults experience higher rates of climate distress and explored whether very severe distress reduces engagement in collective action.

The surveys included validated clinical tools adapted for screening depression and anxiety, which were adapted to measure distress related to global warming, and used cut-off values from these scores to categorize distress levels.

Participants were also asked how likely they were to engage with different forms of climate change-related collective action, such as meeting elected officials or joining a climate campaign. Additionally, they reported how often they had volunteered for climate change organizations or engaged in similar actions in the past year, their beliefs on collective efficacy, and how frequently they discussed climate change with friends and family.

This research builds on previous work by controlling for factors such as beliefs about collective efficacy and political ideology while using a larger sample of over 2,000 participants.

Findings

The study’s participants comprised 2,118 American adults, on average, aged 35 years and over, half of whom were female and 62% were non-Hispanic White. In the two weeks preceding the surveys, 16% of the participants had experienced anxiety or depression specifically tied to concerns about climate change.

Groups such as Democrats, Hispanic or Latino individuals, urban residents, lower-income earners, Millennials, and Gen Z showed the highest distress levels. People experiencing climate distress were more likely to discuss climate change with family and friends and to engage in collective climate action.

Interestingly, the study found that people experiencing the highest levels of climate depression were less likely to have engaged in past collective climate action despite higher intentions to do so. Even after controlling for demographic factors, concern for global warming, and political views, researchers found evidence of a strong relationship between distress and climate action. The non-linear trend suggests that moderate levels of distress are most strongly associated with action, whereas very high distress could limit engagement.

Conclusions

Historically, communities of color, particularly Indigenous and Black groups, have been key leaders in environmental movements. Compared to White people, they are also more likely to believe in collective efficacy.

Notably, groups that reported more distress include those that disproportionately face environmental harms, including air and water pollution and extreme heat, as well as systemic racism that can exacerbate these impacts. The study emphasized that these ongoing challenges can foster resilience and leadership, particularly in vulnerable communities.

However, it is critical to ensure that groups experiencing climate distress receive the mental health support and resources that they need to help distressed individuals engage positively with climate change.

While researchers uncovered important relationships between distress and engagement in this study, they caution that the results do not prove that one causes the other. Distress was also measured based on perceived climate risks, not direct experiences of climate events. Further longitudinal research is recommended to better understand the factors influencing climate distress and action across diverse social contexts and cultures.