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| Among some of the world's communities that are already the most vulnerable, extreme weather events can also cause problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder. A protester holds up a sign during a climate march in Brussels on Oct 10. (File photo by=AP) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] LONDON: Overwhelmed, sad, and guilty are some of the emotions young people say they feel when they think of climate change and their concerns world leaders will fail to tackle it, Reuters reported.
Broadly referred to as climate anxiety, research has stacked up to measure its prevalence ahead of the UN talks in Glasgow, which begin at the end of the month to thrash out how to put the 2015 Paris Agreement on curbing climate change into effect. One of the biggest studies to date, funded by Avaaz, an online campaign network, and led by Britain's University of Bath, surveyed 10,000 young people aged 16 to 25 years in 10 countries. It published its results in September. It found about three-quarters of those surveyed considered the future frightening, while a lack of action by governments and industry left 45 percent experiencing climate anxiety and distress that affected their daily lives and functioning.
Elouise Mayall, an ecology student at the Britain's University of East Anglia and member of the UK Youth Climate Coalition, told Reuters she had felt guilty and overwhelmed. For now, climate anxiety alone does not normally require psychiatric help. Painful as it is, it can be positive, provided it does not get out of control.
