Climate anxiety, wellbeing and pro-environmental action: correlates of negative emotional responses to climate change in 32 countries

Charles A. Ogunbode; Rouven Doran; Daniel Hanss; Maria Ojala; Katariina Salmela-Aro; Karlijn L. van den Broek; Navjot Bhullar; Sibele D. Aquino; Tiago Marot; Julie Aitken Schermer; Anna Wlodarczyk; Su Lu; Feng Jiang; Daniela Acquadro Maran; Radha Yadav; Rahkman Ardi; Razieh Chegeni; Elahe Ghanbarian; Somayeh Zand; Reza Najafi; Joonha Park; Takashi Tsubakita; Chee Seng Tan; John Bosco Chika Chukwuorji; Kehinde Aderemi Ojewumi; Hajra Tahir; Mai Albzour; Marc Eric S. Reyes; Samuel Lins; Violeta Enea; Tatiana Volkodav; Tomas Sollar; Ginés Navarro-Carrillo; Jorge Torres-Marín; Winfred Mbungu; Arin H. Ayanian; Jihane Ghorayeb; Charles Onyutha; Michael J. Lomas; Mai Helmy; Laura Martínez-Buelvas; Aydin Bayad; Mehmet Karasu

doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101887

Climate anxiety, wellbeing and pro-environmental action: correlates of negative emotional responses to climate change in 32 countries

Charles A. Ogunbode, Rouven Doran, Daniel Hanss, Maria Ojala, Katariina Salmela-Aro, Karlijn L. van den Broek, Navjot Bhullar, Sibele D. Aquino, Tiago Marot, Julie Aitken Schermer, Anna Wlodarczyk, Su Lu, Feng Jiang, Daniela Acquadro Maran, Radha Yadav, Rahkman Ardi, Razieh Chegeni, Elahe Ghanbarian, Somayeh Zand, Reza NajafiJoonha Park, Takashi Tsubakita, Chee Seng Tan, John Bosco Chika Chukwuorji, Kehinde Aderemi Ojewumi, Hajra Tahir, Mai Albzour, Marc Eric S. Reyes, Samuel Lins, Violeta Enea, Tatiana Volkodav, Tomas Sollar, Ginés Navarro-Carrillo, Jorge Torres-Marín, Winfred Mbungu, Arin H. Ayanian, Jihane Ghorayeb, Charles Onyutha, Michael J. Lomas, Mai Helmy, Laura Martínez-Buelvas, Aydin Bayad, Mehmet Karasu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

177 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study explored the correlates of climate anxiety in a diverse range of national contexts. We analysed cross-sectional data gathered in 32 countries (N = 12,246). Our results show that climate anxiety is positively related to rate of exposure to information about climate change impacts, the amount of attention people pay to climate change information, and perceived descriptive norms about emotional responding to climate change. Climate anxiety was also positively linked to pro-environmental behaviours and negatively linked to mental wellbeing. Notably, climate anxiety had a significant inverse association with mental wellbeing in 31 out of 32 countries. In contrast, it had a significant association with pro-environmental behaviour in 24 countries, and with environmental activism in 12 countries. Our findings highlight contextual boundaries to engagement in environmental action as an antidote to climate anxiety, and the broad international significance of considering negative climate-related emotions as a plausible threat to wellbeing.

Original language	English
Article number	101887
Journal	Journal of Environmental Psychology
Volume	84
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101887
Publication status	Published - Dec 2022

Keywords

Climate activism
Climate change
Climate change anxiety
Emotions
Pro-environmental behaviour
Wellbeing

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101887

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Ogunbode, C. A., Doran, R., Hanss, D., Ojala, M., Salmela-Aro, K., van den Broek, K. L., Bhullar, N., Aquino, S. D., Marot, T., Schermer, J. A., Wlodarczyk, A., Lu, S., Jiang, F., Maran, D. A., Yadav, R., Ardi, R., Chegeni, R., Ghanbarian, E., Zand, S., ... Karasu, M. (2022). Climate anxiety, wellbeing and pro-environmental action: correlates of negative emotional responses to climate change in 32 countries. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 84, Article 101887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101887

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title = "Climate anxiety, wellbeing and pro-environmental action: correlates of negative emotional responses to climate change in 32 countries",

abstract = "This study explored the correlates of climate anxiety in a diverse range of national contexts. We analysed cross-sectional data gathered in 32 countries (N = 12,246). Our results show that climate anxiety is positively related to rate of exposure to information about climate change impacts, the amount of attention people pay to climate change information, and perceived descriptive norms about emotional responding to climate change. Climate anxiety was also positively linked to pro-environmental behaviours and negatively linked to mental wellbeing. Notably, climate anxiety had a significant inverse association with mental wellbeing in 31 out of 32 countries. In contrast, it had a significant association with pro-environmental behaviour in 24 countries, and with environmental activism in 12 countries. Our findings highlight contextual boundaries to engagement in environmental action as an antidote to climate anxiety, and the broad international significance of considering negative climate-related emotions as a plausible threat to wellbeing.",

keywords = "Climate activism, Climate change, Climate change anxiety, Emotions, Pro-environmental behaviour, Wellbeing",

author = "Ogunbode, {Charles A.} and Rouven Doran and Daniel Hanss and Maria Ojala and Katariina Salmela-Aro and {van den Broek}, {Karlijn L.} and Navjot Bhullar and Aquino, {Sibele D.} and Tiago Marot and Schermer, {Julie Aitken} and Anna Wlodarczyk and Su Lu and Feng Jiang and Maran, {Daniela Acquadro} and Radha Yadav and Rahkman Ardi and Razieh Chegeni and Elahe Ghanbarian and Somayeh Zand and Reza Najafi and Joonha Park and Takashi Tsubakita and Tan, {Chee Seng} and Chukwuorji, {John Bosco Chika} and Ojewumi, {Kehinde Aderemi} and Hajra Tahir and Mai Albzour and Reyes, {Marc Eric S.} and Samuel Lins and Violeta Enea and Tatiana Volkodav and Tomas Sollar and Gin{\'e}s Navarro-Carrillo and Jorge Torres-Mar{\'i}n and Winfred Mbungu and Ayanian, {Arin H.} and Jihane Ghorayeb and Charles Onyutha and Lomas, {Michael J.} and Mai Helmy and Laura Mart{\'i}nez-Buelvas and Aydin Bayad and Mehmet Karasu",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101887",

language = "English",

volume = "84",

journal = "Journal of Environmental Psychology",

issn = "0272-4944",

publisher = "Academic Press",

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Ogunbode, CA, Doran, R, Hanss, D, Ojala, M, Salmela-Aro, K, van den Broek, KL, Bhullar, N, Aquino, SD, Marot, T, Schermer, JA, Wlodarczyk, A, Lu, S, Jiang, F, Maran, DA, Yadav, R, Ardi, R, Chegeni, R, Ghanbarian, E, Zand, S, Najafi, R, Park, J, Tsubakita, T, Tan, CS, Chukwuorji, JBC, Ojewumi, KA, Tahir, H, Albzour, M, Reyes, MES, Lins, S, Enea, V, Volkodav, T, Sollar, T, Navarro-Carrillo, G, Torres-Marín, J, Mbungu, W, Ayanian, AH, Ghorayeb, J, Onyutha, C, Lomas, MJ, Helmy, M, Martínez-Buelvas, L, Bayad, A & Karasu, M 2022, 'Climate anxiety, wellbeing and pro-environmental action: correlates of negative emotional responses to climate change in 32 countries', Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 84, 101887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101887

TY - JOUR

T1 - Climate anxiety, wellbeing and pro-environmental action

T2 - correlates of negative emotional responses to climate change in 32 countries

AU - Ogunbode, Charles A.

AU - Doran, Rouven

AU - Hanss, Daniel

AU - Ojala, Maria

AU - Salmela-Aro, Katariina

AU - van den Broek, Karlijn L.

AU - Bhullar, Navjot

AU - Aquino, Sibele D.

AU - Marot, Tiago

AU - Schermer, Julie Aitken

AU - Wlodarczyk, Anna

AU - Lu, Su

AU - Jiang, Feng

AU - Maran, Daniela Acquadro

AU - Yadav, Radha

AU - Ardi, Rahkman

AU - Chegeni, Razieh

AU - Ghanbarian, Elahe

AU - Zand, Somayeh

AU - Najafi, Reza

AU - Park, Joonha

AU - Tsubakita, Takashi

AU - Tan, Chee Seng

AU - Chukwuorji, John Bosco Chika

AU - Ojewumi, Kehinde Aderemi

AU - Tahir, Hajra

AU - Albzour, Mai

AU - Reyes, Marc Eric S.

AU - Lins, Samuel

AU - Enea, Violeta

AU - Volkodav, Tatiana

AU - Sollar, Tomas

AU - Navarro-Carrillo, Ginés

AU - Torres-Marín, Jorge

AU - Mbungu, Winfred

AU - Ayanian, Arin H.

AU - Ghorayeb, Jihane

AU - Onyutha, Charles

AU - Lomas, Michael J.

AU - Helmy, Mai

AU - Martínez-Buelvas, Laura

AU - Bayad, Aydin

AU - Karasu, Mehmet

PY - 2022/12

Y1 - 2022/12

N2 - This study explored the correlates of climate anxiety in a diverse range of national contexts. We analysed cross-sectional data gathered in 32 countries (N = 12,246). Our results show that climate anxiety is positively related to rate of exposure to information about climate change impacts, the amount of attention people pay to climate change information, and perceived descriptive norms about emotional responding to climate change. Climate anxiety was also positively linked to pro-environmental behaviours and negatively linked to mental wellbeing. Notably, climate anxiety had a significant inverse association with mental wellbeing in 31 out of 32 countries. In contrast, it had a significant association with pro-environmental behaviour in 24 countries, and with environmental activism in 12 countries. Our findings highlight contextual boundaries to engagement in environmental action as an antidote to climate anxiety, and the broad international significance of considering negative climate-related emotions as a plausible threat to wellbeing.

AB - This study explored the correlates of climate anxiety in a diverse range of national contexts. We analysed cross-sectional data gathered in 32 countries (N = 12,246). Our results show that climate anxiety is positively related to rate of exposure to information about climate change impacts, the amount of attention people pay to climate change information, and perceived descriptive norms about emotional responding to climate change. Climate anxiety was also positively linked to pro-environmental behaviours and negatively linked to mental wellbeing. Notably, climate anxiety had a significant inverse association with mental wellbeing in 31 out of 32 countries. In contrast, it had a significant association with pro-environmental behaviour in 24 countries, and with environmental activism in 12 countries. Our findings highlight contextual boundaries to engagement in environmental action as an antidote to climate anxiety, and the broad international significance of considering negative climate-related emotions as a plausible threat to wellbeing.

KW - Climate activism

KW - Climate change

KW - Climate change anxiety

KW - Emotions

KW - Pro-environmental behaviour

KW - Wellbeing

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85142198148&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101887

DO - 10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101887

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85142198148

SN - 0272-4944

VL - 84

JO - Journal of Environmental Psychology

JF - Journal of Environmental Psychology

M1 - 101887

ER -

Climate anxiety, wellbeing and pro-environmental action: correlates of negative emotional responses to climate change in 32 countries

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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