Mom, how old will I be when I die in 2050?”<\/b> This is the question researcher Maya Gislason\u2019s young child asked after bringing home two drawings of Earth from school: the first depicted a green planet in 2020, while the second showed a world engulfed in flames in 2050.<\/p>\n
A new study from Simon Fraser University (SFU)<\/b>, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology<\/i>, details the “eco-anxieties” that children and adolescents experience due to climate change. The research reveals that the ecological crisis does not only cause anxiety but fundamentally alters the daily lives, sense of security, and future plans of the younger generation.<\/p>\n
Scientists analyzed 48 international studies<\/b> and identified several key emotions dominating youth under the age of 19:<\/p>\n Grief and a Sense of Loss:<\/b> Children mourn the fate of extinct species and devastated landscapes.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A Sense of Betrayal and Anger:<\/b> Adolescents feel resentment toward corporations and older generations, whose indifference exacerbates the crisis.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Eco-paralysis:<\/b> A feeling of helplessness where individual actions seem insignificant.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Guilt:<\/b> For instance, over eating meat or engaging in other activities perceived as harmful to the environment.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Study co-author Professor Gislason notes that a generation is growing up without knowing what the world will look like in a few decades. “Many young women and girls do not know if they want to have children in such an environment,” she says. Many adolescents avoid discussing the climate altogether, fearing that adults will dismiss or judge their emotions.<\/p>\n According to the researchers, transforming negative eco-emotions into optimism is possible through age-appropriate activities. Specifically, for young children, planting and caring for trees<\/b> is recommended, as it fosters a close connection with nature and a sense of positive impact.<\/p>\n As for adolescents, joining local environmental groups<\/b> and caring for their community is effective; this promotes social responsibility and helps channel anxiety into productive energy.<\/p>\n\n