Climate Anxiety: The Fear That Won’t Go Away
Why Young People Feel Robbed of Their Future
For young people today, climate change isn’t a distant threat- it’s an ever-present shadow that shapes their daily lives, their emotions and their sense of hope. A survey of 10,000 16-to-25-year-olds across 10 nations found that 60% feel “very worried” or “extremely worried” about the future. More than half of respondents reported feeling sad, anxious, angry, powerless, and even guilty. Most troubling of all? Three out of four respondents believe the future is frightening. An overwhelming 83% feel that humanity has failed to protect the planet.
And whom do they blame? Governments. Two-thirds of young people say their leaders are failing them—ignoring science, delaying action, and prioritising short-term politics over long-term survival.
But climate change is just one part of their growing distress. Young people see shootings and knife attacks in their schools. They see war breaking out across the globe. They see innocent people suffering while those in power offer little more than empty words.
Yet, they believe in science. They ask hard questions. They demand honesty and truth.
Of course, truth in our time has become a slippery thing. But at its core, truth is meant to reflect reality—a reality that young people can see all too clearly. They don’t want sugar-coated optimism or vague promises of future prosperity. They see their parents struggling. They see governments borrowing against their futures.
But here’s the thing about young people: they don’t just want to despair. They want to act. They want to work for a future they can believe in. And so, they turn to science once again—not just for warnings, but for answers.
The real question is: Will we listen? Will we act? Or will we, too, fail them?
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