Aman Sharma is a student of environmental studies at the University of Pennsylvania. But this 21-year-old Delhiite has other interests too. He’s been an avid birdwatcher since the age of 14, chasing rare birds across India’s many national parks with his camera. However, birdwatchers like him are now reporting fewer sightings in India, particularly of migratory species, due to various factors including urbanisation, climate change, and habitat loss. Sharma is also the co-founder of the Re-Earth Initiative, a youth-led international NGO on a mission to make the climate movement accessible to all. Ask him what drives his high engagement with climate activism, and he says, “There is so much anxiety about the unpredictability of the future right now, about losing the world as we know it and not being able to pass it on to our future generations. A divide has arisen across the world, where on the one side you have countries moving towards cleaner goals and on the other, there are countries dismissing climate action. The climate crisis is reaching its full potential, which is leading to eco-anxiety. But we need to channel that anxiety and use it for constructive work right now. That’s what I’m doing.”
A study conducted in 2024 by the Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi interviewed over 1,900 people between the ages of 14 and 25 years. 94 per cent of respondents attested to being directly impacted by climate change in a number of ways. That ranged from the closure of schools and colleges and limited outdoor activities to adverse effects on their family’s livelihood and health. Over 50 per cent of those interviewed also admitted to feeling increased stress or anxiety related to climate concerns.
“Climate anxiety is definitely a growing concern among the youth,” explains Dr Supriya Malik, psychologist and founder-CEO of Embrace, an online counselling platform. “Some people are affected deeply when they read about the devastation caused by largescale climate events like the recent wildfires in California. They face feelings of guilt, shame, and concern regarding the safety and continued existence of human lives.” Mental health counsellor and soft skills trainer Dr Monidipa Dutta recalls receiving a panic phone call from a former student a few months ago. She remembered the girl as one of the best and most positive in her class and was surprised to hear her fearful tone of voice.
“She told me she couldn’t stop thinking about the climate disasters around the world, and no matter what she did—her actions never felt enough.” Facing the constant barrage of bad news made her feel helpless and hopeless about the future. Dr Dutta told the girl that her concern for the planet was itself a powerful tool for change. She encouraged her to join a local environmental group and limit the consumption of negative news. Dr Malik agrees with this assessment, adding that the youth must reduce their habit of endless doomscrolling on social media. She also recommends exercising regularly, eating healthy and sticking to routines to help with one’s mental health. “Anxiety occurs when there’s a growing feeling of lack of control. Helping people plan and recognise how they can contribute to controlling climate change gives a sense of control,” she shares.
Ferdin Sylvester, environmental engineer and the director of the OneEarth Foundation, which works to reduce the planet’s waste, feels the terminology should be changed to ‘eco-concern’ or ‘eco-angst’ instead. “Referring to it as ‘eco-anxiety’ lays the blame on the person experiencing it instead of the very real, tangible truth that environmental degradation and climate change are logical things to be concerned about. It is not my fault or any individual’s fault.” Sylvester admits that he too was a victim of eco-anxiety in the past. However, once he decided to convert these negative feelings into constructive action, he felt better. “I did this by setting an example of sustainable living, by creating awareness and participating in cause-related activities for environmental protection. Most importantly, I feel proud to be part of the growing global community of eco-enthusiasts that seek to create change for the good.” It’s time to deal with eco-anxiety constructively, else the mind would be overwhelmed.