From Watts Up With That?

Essay by Eric Worrall

According to Curtin University academic Dr Diana Bogueva, “it is not too late for Gen Z to make a difference fighting for a sustainable future.” – but they mostly aren’t engaging.

Gen Z’s climate anxiety is real and needs action — for everyone’s wellbeing

05 MAR 2024 | Samuel Jeremic

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Published in Sustainable Earth Reviews, the study surveyed Australian university students belonging to Generation Z (people born between 1995 and 2010) and found climate change was their number one environmental concern.

More than 80 per cent reported being ‘concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ about climate change, with many revealing they felt anxious over the issue.

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Dr Bogueva stressed it wasn’t solely Gen Z’s responsibility to solve climate change — a problem they didn’t create — but taking meaningful action can help alleviate an individual’s feelings of anxiety and powerlessness.

“This can include finding out how they can be part of the solution in their personal lives, whether it’s choosing a career which has an impact or adjusting the products or food they consume,” she said.

“While the challenges of climate change can be scary it is not too late for Gen Z to make a difference fighting for a sustainable future.”

‘Australia’s university Generation Z and its concerns about climate change’ was published in Sustainable Earth Reviews.Read more: https://www.curtin.edu.au/news/media-release/gen-zs-climate-anxiety-is-real-and-needs-action-for-everyones-wellbeing/

The abstract of the survey;

Australia’s university Generation Z and its concerns about climate change

Rodrigo Bardales Salguero, Diana Bogueva & Dora Marinova 

Sustainable Earth Reviews volume 7, Article number: 8 (2024) Cite this article

Abstract

Despite scientific evidence about the imminent threat of climate change, people and governments around the world are slow in taking sufficient action. Against these bleak outlooks, Generation Z (Gen Z) born 1995–2010 will inherit the consequences of prolonged inaction. This research delves into the climate change concerns of Australia’s university Gen Z. A representative survey of 446 Australian university students conducted between September 2021 and April 2022 revealed that climate change is the top environmental concern for Gen Z with 81% of these young people being significantly concerned and many experiencing serious climate anxiety. Despite this pervasive concern, 65% of Australia’s university Gen Z is not engaged in traditional climate activism; however, these young people are using technology to voice their concerns. As the future decision-makers of the world, it is crucial for Gen Z to accelerate climate action in all of its forms, including engaging with scientific knowledge and other generations to shape policies and safeguard a liveable planet for all.Read more: https://sustainableearthreviews.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42055-024-00075-w

The survey authors explain respondents are self selecting, and may not be a representative sample.

Even so, my first impression was that “climate indoctrination has clearly malfunctioned”.

For decades far too many schools have pumped kids full of climate propaganda and end of world messages, only to see their army of climate activists melt away like ice cubes in a glass of Tequila on a hot summer day.

The study authors seem concerned about the lack of engagement, though their focus appears to be the mental health of the climate worriers – “… Moreover, there is a pressing need to develop effective strategies aimed at assisting individuals, especially the youth, in channelling their climate-related fears in a positive direction, including through their employment and career choices. …” 

Are GenZ climate worriers just expressing climate concern to fit in, but don’t actually care? Has despair overwhelmed their will to act?

Does sharing tweets or snap chatting their climate concern, and “lifestyle changes” like using the recycling bin count as climate action in their minds?

Are all but the most committed GenZ climate worriers just lazy?

Future generations will wonder at the failure of education which led to this mass hysteria, yet rendered hysterics mostly unable or unwilling to actually do anything to address their fear.