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Britons’ concern about climate change plays a big role in many mental health struggles among the country’s youth and could lead to guilt about having children, a new report claims.
The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) report also suggests that yoga and visiting “climate cafes” can help overcome this “eco-anxiety” and build emotional resilience in times of change.
“Awareness of climate and environmental change can also lead to emotional or psychological reactions such as eco-anxiety,” it defines the term as distress caused by the threat of climate change.
The authors also reference “solastalgia”, which is the sadness that people feel when their familiar environments are degraded due to environmental change.
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The UKHSA report on climate concern among British youth faces criticism from Jason Isaacs, who calls eco-concern a product of climate propaganda. (Reuters)
According to the UKHSA, such reactions are not irrational but natural reactions to an unstable world.
The data shown in the report, Climate Change and Mental Health: Thematic Assessment, also indicates that many young Britons are struggling with the psychological burden of environmental degradation.
For example, nearly 40 percent of survey respondents said they are hesitant to have children because of climate change, citing fears about future security, resources, and quality of life.
“There is evidence that eco-concern is influencing reproductive choices for some individuals, as 39% of UK survey respondents reported that climate change has made them hesitant about having children due to concerns over children’s future quality of life,” the report said.
In response to these findings, the UKHSA recommended activities that promote community connections and resilience.
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The United Kingdom Health Protection Agency recommends yoga and climate cafes to help British youth deal with eco-anxiety and build resilience against the climate change crisis. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)
“Participating in group and community-based activities, including yoga, citizen science, and climate cafes, reduced psychological distress,” the report said.
The report has not escaped criticism, with Jason Isaacs, CEO of the US Energy Institute, accusing the UK government of institutionalizing climate hysteria.
“The UK’s adoption of fringe terms like ‘eco-concern’ and ‘solostalgia’ shows how deeply climate propaganda has seeped into official policy,” he told National Review.
Isaacs argues that these are not legitimate medical conditions, but rather the result of fear-induced messages that make people feel guilty about prosperity and family life.
“No climate café or government program will solve the mental health crisis created by the left’s own apocalyptic narrative,” he said.
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Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates surprised social media users this week when he wrote that climate change does not portend doomsday for the Earth. (Bennett Raglin/Getty)
Similarly, Bill Gates also took a step away from the climate threat, saying that he believes both climate change and global warming are issues that “will not lead to the destruction of humanity.”
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Despite the controversy, the UKHSA says addressing the psychological impacts of climate change is essential for public health.
