Understanding Climate Anxiety

How should we react to climate anxiety? This accessible book discusses anxiety and other emotions brought on by climate change, examining what climate anxiety is, why it is becoming so prevalent and how it differs from other types of anxiety. Written by an expert psychologist, the book examines why climate anxiety is developing so rapidly, particularly in younger people. It looks at how it can manifest differently—sometimes as hopelessness or despair, and sometimes as anger which can serve as a catalyst for action. The book dives into the nuance around climate anxiety, questioning what we can do about it or whether climate anxiety should be pathologized at all, given the very real threat of climate change. It considers cognitive biases that underlie information processing and discusses how politics and interest groups affect people’s views. Seeking to understand the polarisation that occurs around this topic, the book suggests how we might alleviate climate anxiety without minimising serious concern about climate change. This highly topical book will be of great interest to students of psychology, environmental science and social science. It will also be of interest to psychologists, mental health professionals and climate communicators, as well as anyone interested in learning more about climate anxiety.