Overcoming Climate Anxiety

Climate anxiety is real. It is growing and is increasingly prevalent among children and young adults. Climate anxiety is described as a chronic fear or distress about climate change and environmental decline, and it can manifest through emotions such as anger, guilt, sadness, fear, and hopelessness.

Evidence suggests that concern about climate change has intensified in recent years. Worldwide Google searches for the terms “climate anxiety” and “eco-anxiety” increased by 4,590% between 2018 and 2023, reflecting growing concern about the psychological consequences of climate change.

People around the world are also concerned about the effects of climate change on their health. In the United States, 44% of Americans say they worry “a great deal” about global warming, while 61% believe the effects of climate change have already begun according to a 2026 Gallup poll.

The concern is particularly pronounced among young people. Among 16- to 25-year-olds, 60% report being very or extremely worried about climate change and its impacts on people and the planet, while 43% say climate change is affecting their mental health.

A 2026 Pew Research Center poll showed that a majority of Americans believe that countries around the world, will fail to do enough to avoid the worst effects of climate change, and that in the United States the federal government is doing too little to address climate change.

These numbers suggest that climate anxiety is not simply a fear of climate change and its environmental consequences. For many people, it is also a response to the belief that society understands the problem but is failing to act with sufficient urgency. That sense of frustration and powerlessness may be an important driver of climate-related distress.

Anxiety tells us something matters. The challenge is to transform that energy into informed action rather than letting it become hopelessness. The future is not predetermined, and history shows us that collective action can reset the direction of change. That makes engagement one of the healthiest responses to climate anxiety.

Research suggests that people cope best when they balance awareness with meaningful action, community, and perspective.

Here are five approaches that can help:

1. Recognize that concern is normal

Feeling anxious about climate change does not mean something is wrong with you. It is normal to experience worry, grief, anger, or helplessness about the future. Accepting these emotions often makes them easier to manage and can give us direction as to how to address them.

2. Understand what climate change is, what is causing it, and what some of the solutions are

There are books, articles, and videos that can help us better understand the challenges facing humanity, the causes of climate change, the solutions available, and how we can get there.

The Climate Book (2022), edited by Greta Thunberg, is a collection of short essays written by experts explaining how our planet is changing and how we can address global warming. Drawdown (2017), edited by Paul Hawken, details 100 practical solutions focused on energy, land use, and food production. Braiding Sweetgrass (2013) by Robin Wall Kimmerer bridges Indigenous wisdom with ecological science to promote a more sustainable relationship with nature.

The TED video “The Business Logic of Sustainability,” featuring Ray Anderson, the founder and CEO of Interface, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet tiles, demonstrates how businesses can bring sustainability and profitability together.

3. Focus on what you can do

Climate change is a global challenge that requires global action. But we are all part of this larger global community, and our individual actions are important on their own and can serve as a model for others to emulate. Instead of asking, “How do I stop climate change?” ask, “What contribution can I make?”

We can:

• Reduce our own environmental footprint where practical by driving less, eating more fruits and vegetables, or using less plastic. Check here to find out how sustainable is your life style.

• Support businesses with strong sustainability practices. Search for Benefit Corporations through B Lab. These are businesses with verified social, environmental, and governance commitments.

• Vote for those who prioritize meaningful climate policy. One way to find out if a current elected official at the federal, state, or local level is serious about their stated commitments to fighting climate change is to search for organizations that have contributed to their election campaigns in the past. That information is available on Opensecrets.org. Donor information for those running for election for the first time is available on the Federal Election Commission’s website at

https://www.fec.gov

.

• Volunteer or donate to environmental organizations. These could include Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Oceana, 350.org, and The Xerces Society.

• Donate or volunteer with advocacy groups working to get private money out of politics. Three such advocacy organizations are the Campaign Legal Center, the Brennan Center for Justice, and MapLight.

• Talk constructively with others about solutions.

Research suggests that engaging in meaningful environmental action can help people feel more capable and less helpless in the face of climate change.

4. Look for evidence of progress

Climate change remains an enormous challenge. But history shows that human beings can address major environmental challenges:

• Repairing the ozone layer through international cooperation.

• Reducing acid rain.

• Cleaning polluted rivers.

When it comes to climate change, we know what needs to be done, and important efforts are underway that can result in significant progress:

• Renewable energy costs have fallen dramatically.

• Electric vehicles are becoming more common.

• A growing number of countries have expanded their use of clean energy.

• Cities are becoming more resilient through adaptation efforts.

Progress is slow, which means public engagement is important to move it forward more quickly.

5. Balance realism with hope

Hope is not believing everything will work out automatically. It is belief that our actions still matter. These successes demonstrate that coordinated action can solve environmental problems.