Eco-Anxiety
Despite years of warnings from scientists, government responses remain insufficient in the face of urgency. This lack of action fuels negative emotions, especially among young people. A Léger poll reveals that 73% of youth report experiencing eco-anxiety, while 80% of respondents doubt there will be any future improvement (ICI Radio-Canada).
Even though climate change doesn’t affect everyone in the same way, simply becoming aware of these issues can impact our psychological well-being. The emotions felt—grouped under the term « eco-anxiety »—can take many forms, such as fear, anger, shame, anxiety, guilt, and more. It is more accurate to speak of « eco-emotions ». Contrary to what some media may suggest, eco-anxiety is neither a disorder nor a pathology. Given today’s climate emergency, these eco-emotions are entirely legitimate behavioural responses.
Although anyone is at risk of experiencing eco-anxiety, youth are the most affected age group. Environmental issues hold a dominant place in the media, and unlike previous generations, today’s youth are exposed to a constant flow of information on the subject. They are therefore among the most informed, yet they often lack the power and influence needed to drive meaningful change. The emotions they experience—often uncomfortable—can lead to paralysis, preventing them from imagining the future, or denial, where the individual avoids facing these difficult emotions by ignoring the problem.
Understanding this phenomenon and its impacts on the planet and on our psychological well-being can help us better manage our eco-anxiety. Accepting these emotions as legitimate responses and channelling this emotional energy into positive action can help reduce the impact of eco-anxiety on our daily lives.
Toward a Calmer Future
Thanks to funding from the Laval Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS), the CRE de Laval offers free, personalized workshops on eco-anxiety for youth aged 12 to 25. These sessions can take place in various environments throughout Laval, whether in formal settings like schools or in more informal settings such as community spaces.
Here are the titles of the three complementary workshops offered:
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Taking Stock: My Experience of the Socio-Ecological Crisis
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Digital Media: Their Influence on Our Perception of Socio-Ecological Crises
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Turning Our Awareness into Action While Staying Mentally Healthy
The CRE de Laval can also offer custom presentations, facilitate discussion circles, and host booths related to these themes at your events.
If you're interested in these workshops, please contact Mégane Lavallée-Trubiano, Project Manager in Environmental Education: megane.lavallee-trubiano@credelaval.qc.ca
Support Resources
Videos, Webinars and Podcasts
- Lab22 – Eco-Anxiety and Eco-Hope
- Éco-motion – Cultivating the Courage to Keep Going When You're Eco-Anxious
- Éco-motion – Le Canot
- RIISQ – Psychological Well-Being in the Age of Socio-Ecological Disaster: The Case of Eco-Anxiety
- La nature selon Boucar
Websites
Positive Environmental News
Films and Documentaries
- Tomorrow – Cyril Dion and Mélanie Laurent
- After Tomorrow – Laure Noualhat and Cyril Dion
- A Quest for Meaning – Marc de La Ménardière and Nathanaël Coste
- Earth Seen from the Heart – Iolande Cadrin-Rossignol, Hubert Reeves and Frédéric Lenoir
- The Red Turtle – Michael Dudok de Wit
- What Are We Waiting For? – Marie-Monique Robin
- Captain Fantastic – Matt Ross
- Solidream – Morgan Monchaud, Brian Mathé and Siphay Vera
- A Life on Our Planet – Jonathan Hughes and David Attenborough
- My Octopus Teacher – James Reed and Pippa Ehrlich
- The Velvet Queen – Vincent Munier, Marie Amiguet and Sylvain Tesson
