Summary: A new study reveals Gen Z’s profound concern over climate change, identifying it as their top environmental worry with over 80% feeling anxious about its impacts. This climate anxiety contributes to a broader unease towards the future, affecting life decisions such as career choices and family planning.
Despite their concerns, only a third of Gen Z engages in traditional climate activism, with many turning to social media for advocacy and information. The study underscores the need for Gen Z to explore varied activism forms to drive meaningful change and alleviate feelings of powerlessness, highlighting the importance of collective action in addressing climate change.
Key Facts:
- Widespread Climate Anxiety: Over 80% of Australian Gen Z surveyed express significant concern and anxiety over climate change, impacting their mental health and future outlook.
- Limited Engagement in Traditional Activism: Despite high levels of concern, only 35% of Gen Z participates in traditional climate activism, with many preferring social media as a platform for advocacy.
- Call for Diverse Activism and Personal Action: Researchers advocate for Gen Z’s engagement in a broader range of activism and personal lifestyle changes to combat climate anxiety and contribute to climate action.
Source: Curtain University
New Curtin University research has shown Australian young people have major concerns about climate change, which is having a significant impact on their lives and could have broader consequences decades into the future.
Published in Sustainable Earth Reviews, the study surveyed Australian university students belonging to Generation Z (people born between 1995 and 2010) and found climate change was their number one environmental concern.
More than 80 percent reported being ‘concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ about climate change, with many revealing they felt anxious over the issue.
Climate anxiety sees concern about climate change manifest as disturbing thoughts, overwhelming distress about future climate disasters and the continuing fate of humanity and the world. It can also translate into feelings of fear, insecurity, anger, exhaustion, powerlessness and sadness.
Curtin Professor of Sustainability Dora Marinova said climate anxiety was a contributing factor to Gen Z’s overall sense of unease towards the future, which could have major future ramifications.
“These young people are very concerned and, in a way, intimidated by the lack of concrete action being taken to battle climate change,” Professor Marinova said.
“Gen Z has serious concerns which will not only impact their mental health — which will be something society and the public health system will have to deal with — but also the choices young people make: how they spend their money, whether they have families, their choice of career and more.”
The study also revealed despite their concerns, only 35 per cent of Gen Z regularly engaged in traditional climate activism such as fundraising, donating money to worthy causes, supporting political campaigns, or participating in events such as marches or protests.
Curtin Research Fellow Dr Diana Bogueva said the survey respondents instead regularly use social media to voice their concerns and find out information.
She said while their online activities were important, Gen Z may need to engage in other ways to both alleviate climate anxiety and drive change.
“Gen Z should consider participating in more traditional or mainstream areas of activism such as political campaigns to engage with policy makers and better connect with other generations to influence decision makers, to accelerate climate action, and help safeguard a liveable planet for all,” she said.
Dr Bogueva stressed it wasn’t solely Gen Z’s responsibility to solve climate change — a problem they didn’t create — but taking meaningful action can help alleviate an individual’s feelings of anxiety and powerlessness.
“This can include finding out how they can be part of the solution in their personal lives, whether it’s choosing a career which has an impact or adjusting the products or food they consume,” she said.
“While the challenges of climate change can be scary it is not too late for Gen Z to make a difference fighting for a sustainable future.”
About this climate change and anxiety research news
Author: Sam Jeremic
Source: Curtain University
Contact: Sam Jeremic – Curtain University
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Australia’s university Generation Z and its concerns about climate change” by Dora Marinova et al. Sustainable Earth Reviews
Abstract
Australia’s university Generation Z and its concerns about climate change
Despite scientific evidence about the imminent threat of climate change, people and governments around the world are slow in taking sufficient action. Against these bleak outlooks, Generation Z (Gen Z) born 1995–2010 will inherit the consequences of prolonged inaction. This research delves into the climate change concerns of Australia’s university Gen Z.
A representative survey of 446 Australian university students conducted between September 2021 and April 2022 revealed that climate change is the top environmental concern for Gen Z with 81% of these young people being significantly concerned and many experiencing serious climate anxiety.
Despite this pervasive concern, 65% of Australia’s university Gen Z is not engaged in traditional climate activism; however, these young people are using technology to voice their concerns.
As the future decision-makers of the world, it is crucial for Gen Z to accelerate climate action in all of its forms, including engaging with scientific knowledge and other generations to shape policies and safeguard a liveable planet for all.
