Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Sep 18, 2025

COP27: Climate anxiety is rising - it might be a good thing

COP27: Climate anxiety is rising - it might be a good thing

Global leaders are about to meet for another UN climate summit - COP27 starting in Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday - and the reality of climate change for many people can be overwhelming.

Record-breaking heatwaves, devastating floods in Pakistan, and drought in East Africa - and that is just this year.

It is no surprise that climate anxiety is rising, particularly among young people, who have mostly only known a world affected by climate change.

But experts and activists have told BBC News that these fears can actually be good news for the planet.

"People who are really aware of climate change may be more motivated to take action," University of Bath environmental psychologist Prof Lorraine Whitmarsh says.

Her research has found a link between climate concerns and taking effective action, including reducing carbon footprint by cutting down on waste or buying second-hand.

When people talk about their own climate anxiety, they often say it is linked to the vast amounts of negative and often scary news about the planet.

"I think it's hard not to worry about climate change. We're constantly bombarded with news articles and social media about how it's just crisis after crisis - ice caps melting, disasters - it can be very overwhelming," explains Roisin, 16, from County Antrim in Northern Ireland.

Roisin is on the youth advisory board of Save The Children, which recently found that 70% of children in the UK worried about the world they are inheriting.

Roisin, 16, says almost everyone her age talks about their fears for the planet


But she says there is hope too: "You can always see young activists like Greta Thunberg, and people like David Attenborough taking action on it."

Roisin says she has become a vegetarian and makes sure she only shops locally. "Taking action is my only way of dealing with climate anxiety - it means I know I've done everything I can do to solve the problem," she says.
Some campaigners, like 23

-year-old Zahra Biabani in California, say the widespread focus on climate catastrophe can be misleading.

When she began posting online about environmental issues at university, she realised there was "a gap between education and action, which was being filled by 'doomism'".

"Climate education can be debilitating without a form of encouragement to act, especially when we see what's going on the world, and how it's going to get worse," she explains.


Now she shares "climate optimist" news and writes newsletters focusing on good news and solutions.

"Climate optimism is not just nice, it's necessary because in order to be sustained in our action and our advocacy, we need to believe in and have something that's worth fighting for," she explains.

She believes that there is a generational divide between many young people who want to focus on how the planet could be saved, and the "older white man community" that focuses on how "the world is going to end".

"I don't want to think this comes from a bad place. I think they have a lot of anxiety as well, but they're finding a very different way to use it," she suggests.

Psychotherapist Caroline Hickman specialises in climate anxiety, and has treated a significant number of young people. She says it is "totally normal" to worry about the state of the planet, but "sinking into despair and 'climate doomism' is not the solution".

It is important to distinguish between serious clinical anxiety about climate change, which is a mental health issue, and worries or concerns.

Prof Whitmarsh suggests that while there are high levels of concern about climate change, particularly in young people, most people do not have debilitating climate anxiety that requires treatment by a mental health professional.


What to do if you have climate anxiety


Zahra suggests:

*  Focus on good news. Find stories about progress made in curbing climate change or a new solution. "Look for information that is a source of encouragement and doesn't blindside you."

*  Give yourself a break Do something unrelated to the problem - exercise, go outdoors, read or watch a film. "Finding an activity not connected to climate change is really cathartic and really beneficial."

Caroline suggests:

*  Take action Join a local group that does something to tackle the problem, or lobby politicians to pass laws. "Find like-minded people and work together to advance a goal."

*  Do not totally switch off "I caution people about shutting down completely - because when you wake up, the reality will be too extreme."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
×