How the climate crisis affects our mental health

Sophia Manolis, right, urge Gov. Walz for action on climate change.
Sophia Manolis of Minneapolis, right, shouts out instructions as dozens of teenagers prepare for an event at the state Capitol in St. Paul to urge Gov. Tim Walz for action on climate change on Jan. 9, 2019.
Elizabeth Dunbar | MPR News 2019

Earlier this month, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that “a hotter future is essentially locked in.” The news of the changing climate and its effects can have psychological impacts, which experts call “climate anxiety.” 

According to recent studies, Millennials and members of Generation Z think and worry more about climate change than people in older generations.

Young people have grown up seeing the impacts of climate change, such as increasingly frequent and larger wildfires; extreme heat and drought; heavy rainfall and flooding.

Brandt Williams spoke with a professor of psychology who focuses on how climate change affects our mental health, and to two young people who are working towards a better outcome for the planet. 

Guests:

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