IN 1992, the Rio Earth Summit was a defining moment in shaping the global agenda for sustainable development.
The historic global conference sought to redefine human relationships with the natural environment amidst growing concerns about the long-term wellbeing of both people and planet. The dialogue on climate change and environmental degradation at that time was largely framed in the future tense – what will happen to our plants for generations yet to come?
Fast forward to 2025: the climate urgency is immediate and undeniable.
Climate-related disasters are no longer predictions of a hypothetical nature (pun intended), but a lived reality challenging our current and future wellbeing. We do not need to be an environmental scientist to recognise climate change around us, with rising temperature intensifying floods, droughts, heatwaves, storms and landslides across the globe.
Malaysia’s climate vulnerability
Malaysia is by no means immune to the far-reaching impacts of climate change – transcending borders and disrupting communities across the world.
Though Malaysia ranks favourably at 50th out of 187 countries in the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) Country Index (a higher ranking reflects lower vulnerability and higher climate readiness), the country is paradoxically listed as among the top 10 countries most severely affected by flood and drought-related displacement of 2023 in the Global Internal Displacement Database. The December 2023 floods alone displaced over 40,000 people, claimed at least 50 lives, and cost an estimated RM6bil in economic losses.
Despite Malaysia’s relatively low contribution to global warming historically, the country faces heightened risks of floods, droughts, heatwaves, storm surges and extreme rainfall endangering lives, livelihoods and property today.
This is confirmed by World Bank-Asian Development Bank modelling warning climate-related disasters may pose serious risks to the agricultural sector, including rice, rubber, palm oil, and cocoa production in Malaysia.
Given recent environmental hazards and looming risks, it is not surprising Malaysians report a generally high prevalence of climate anxiety.
What is climate anxiety?
Climate anxiety (or ecoanxiety) is defined as a “heightened emotional, mental, or somatic distress in response to dangerous changes in the climate system” (Handbook of Climate Psychology, 2020) and “chronic fear of environmental doom” (American Psychological Association, 2017).
Quite simply, climate anxiety is anxiety about the climate – specifically, climate change and its consequences for the environment and humans. It may be triggered by the aftermath of climate-related disasters or in anticipation of future risks, particularly for those living in vulnerable areas.
Several studies have reported a high prevalence of climate anxiety ranging from 60% to 90% in Malaysia, while a 2025 survey by the Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute ranked climate change as the top concern surpassing unemployment and recession in the region.
Global evidence suggests that younger people – children and youth – are more likely to experience emotional distress over climate change, perhaps due to their greater stakes in living with its long-term consequences and a perceived lack of agency compared with older adults.
This trend was evident in Unicef’s National Youth Climate Change Survey (2020), which found that 92% of young people view climate change as a crisis in Malaysia.
Such high levels of climate anxiety, particularly among young people, call for closer examination to develop effective responses to address this form of emotional distress.
Physical and emotional responses
Common physical symptoms of climate anxiety include headaches, muscle tension, stomach discomfort, loss of appetite, irritability, fatigue, sleeplessness, and difficulties in concentration. In some cases, there may be shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and even panic attacks.
Though these symptoms are broadly characteristic of generic anxiety, climate anxiety is distinct in that it arises from climate-related triggers and manifests as a deep concern for the environment.
As climate anxiety increasingly emerges – whether directly or indirectly – in the presenting issues of clients, mental health professionals can support affected individuals in exploring, identifying, and taking control of underlying emotions behind their symptoms, for instance fear about surviving climate-related disasters or losing livelihoods; guilt over their own contributions to environmental degradation; frustration over the culpability of previous generations for the ecological state of our world today; and despair and hopelessness about the future of the planet in what may feel like an unavoidable juggernaut of climate change.
Given the potentially adverse effects of climate anxiety on emotional wellbeing and psychosocial functioning, it is essential to consider effective coping and mitigation strategies.
Beyond clinical diagnosis
Though climate anxiety may heighten the risk of mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, and clinical depression, there is broad consensus among mental health professionals that climate anxiety is not a clinical diagnosis in itself.
In that sense, climate anxiety is a variant of anxiety that may – but does not necessarily – escalate into a psychological disorder requiring specialised intervention by mental health professionals. Climate anxiety is otherwise regarded as a natural, appropriate, and even rational response to the existential threat posed by climate change, which may nonetheless call for meaningful support or action.
Though climate anxiety is not listed in diagnostic manuals, its high prevalence and potential risks cannot be ignored by mental health professionals, policymakers or the broader community in Malaysia.
It is, of course, OK not to feel OK about climate change, but we cannot afford to forget that such worries may become persistent, overwhelming, and eventually disruptive if left unaddressed.
Greater awareness, timely support, and proactive action can help individuals develop coping mechanisms in the face of climate change and climate anxiety.
This will require a better understanding of the double- edged nature of anxiety in its various forms, including climate anxiety.
Reassessing (climate) anxiety
Though anxiety is typically seen in a negative light, developing a more nuanced understanding allows us to appreciate its complexity.
Notwithstanding the long-term risks of mental health conditions if any form of anxiety remains unaddressed, it can also serve as the body and mind’s natural alarm system – an early warning mechanism of sorts – alerting us to potential threats and motivating remedial action. In that sense, anxiety (including climate anxiety) may be viewed more constructively as a vital part of our adaptive fight-or-flight response to confront or escape impending danger for survival.
Take studying ahead of an exam, for instance – while prolonged anxiety may hinder performance, a certain degree of worry can, in fact, help overcome complacency and enhance motivation.
Likewise, climate anxiety can foster climate positivity and drive purposeful action benefiting both environmental sustainability and psychological wellbeing.
This can be an opportunity for young people to take greater control of their mental and planetary health alike, recognising the symbiotic relationship between humans and the environment.
What can we do to help develop our emotional resilience individually and collectively in response to climate anxiety?
Emotional resilience
> Awareness and acknowledgement – We must develop a nuanced understanding that climate anxiety is not a mental health condition in itself, but nevertheless requires timely support and proactive action to help affected individuals.
This will help affected individuals – particularly young people – realise it is OK not to feel OK when facing an existential threat like climate change, destigmatise climate anxiety, and explore their emotional responses.
In doing so, individuals experiencing climate anxiety will be more willing to share their concerns, seek early support, and undertake positive action to address it.
> Positive action – If we consider climate anxiety as our natural alarm system triggered by environmental degradation, it can serve as a catalyst for positive action on climate solutions that benefit humanity and nature alike.
Climate anxiety has the potential of empowering us to step outside our comfort zones, awakening a deeper consciousness about environmental conservation and sustainable living.
This can begin with small lifestyle shifts – such as reducing single-use plastic consumption or choosing public transport – that not only benefit the environment but also help ease symptoms and regulate emotions associated with climate anxiety.
> (Self) compassion – Given the overwhelming nature of climate change, there is room for more kindness, understanding, and support for ourselves and those round us.
This can be rooted in a shared recognition of common humanity: environmental devastation did not happen overnight and impactful solutions will take time.
Self-compassion can take the form of positive-self talk like, “I am doing what I can for the environment. Change is not easy, but my actions matter and I am making a difference”; or through self-care practices like healthy living, remembering that we must care for ourselves in order to care for the planet.
> Sharing with others – Sharing our anxiety with others can be therapeutic in general – and even more so when it comes to a global phenomenon like climate change affecting large segments of the population.
It is important for affected individuals – particularly young people – to know they are not alone, they are supported, and many others share their emotional distress over the planet.
In this way, sharing with peers, teachers, family members, and others can help find emotional support and explore collective action to address climate anxiety.
> Family members and teachers – Since climate anxiety predominantly affects young people, family members and teachers can play an important role in offering emotional support to mitigate climate anxiety.
Most importantly, family members and teachers must foster spaces for conversations about climate anxiety, focusing on listening empathetically, acknowledging emotions and brainstorming remedies.
Family members can model responsible environmental behaviour and explore positive action together as a family, while teachers can help young people gain a better understanding of climate anxiety through curriculum-based learning and interpersonal connection.
> Mental health professionals – Though climate anxiety is not a mental health condition in itself, mental health professionals must have a clear understanding of this distinct form of anxiety to offer early support to affected clients – irrespective of whether it arises as a primary, secondary, underlying, or associated presenting issue.
In this respect, mental health professionals can support clients in deepening their understanding of climate anxiety, validating emotional responses, and fostering coping strategies, including emotional regulation through positive action.
Children and youth may often find it difficult to explore and process emotions on climate change, which may require projective tests or expressive art in therapy.
There may also be relatively rare cases that require more specialised interventions by mental health professionals for debilitating forms of climate anxiety, particularly if they disrupt day-to-day functioning or escalate into broader mental health disorders.
> ‘Psychological First Aid’ – Mental health professionals, policymakers, and community groups must come together to roll out and scale up early preventive interventions like psychological first aid (PFA) for those affected by climate-related disasters like floods and droughts, particularly young people.
Such assistance offers both practical and emotional support, while developing a sense of safety, connecting to social support systems and reducing risks of climate anxiety.
Though relatively less resource-intensive, community-level interventions like this can help build coping skills that prevent climate anxiety from escalating into more severe mental health conditions over time.
From climate anxiety to climate action
Purposeful and meaningful action in the face of impending danger can help mitigate anxiety of all types – particularly climate anxiety, which poses an existential threat demanding urgent individual and collective response.
Developing a more nuanced understanding of climate anxiety beyond its negative connotations can help inspire positive action that alleviates physical symptoms, regulates emotional distress, and reinforces environmental sustainability.
There is an opportunity to transform climate anxiety to climate action, for instance, by reframing crisis and fear as opportunity and responsibility.
Though not a mental health condition in itself, we cannot afford to overlook climate anxiety given the risk of future escalation if it remains unaddressed. A holistic approach to climate anxiety is imperative for recognising positive action as a pathway for improving both planetary and mental health.
Rethinking climate anxiety as a natural alarm system in response to climate change can help us develop broader emotional resilience skills in life, including appreciating the dual nature of anxiety, developing coping strategies, and taking remedial steps to improve our mental health.
Climate anxiety may be inevitable, but it can be more of a boon than bane to take control of both our mental health and environmental protection.
Dr Arman I. Rashid is a Kuala Lumpur-born and Melbourne-based policy and security analyst- cum-mental health professional, researcher, and advocate. He was a subject matter expert of Thrive Well’s collaboration with the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health Climate Courage Workshops to help build emotional resilience in the face of climate anxiety.
