Is humanity doomed? Young Canadians share how climate change is affecting their outlook

Recent research out of Lakehead University shows that young Canadians are worried about climate change – and the crisis is deeply affecting their mental health.

Lindsay Galway, an associate professor at Lakehead University's campus in Thunder Bay, Ont., co-authored a paper earlier this year with Ellen Field, who is based at Lakehead Orillia, called Climate emotions and anxiety among young people in Canada: A national survey and call to action.

The responses were largely negative. Among the main takeaways were that young people are scared; 76 per cent of respondents find the future frightening, and nearly half think humanity is doomed.

Nearly 80 per cent of those surveyed said that climate change affects their overall mental health, and four out of 10 said it takes a daily toll on their well-being.

While much research has been done on the physical effects of climate change, its impact on people's mental health has been largely left out of the conversation, said Galway. The goal of this study was to fill that gap.

Galway and Field surveyed 1,000 Canadians aged 16 to 25 across Canada. Their approach largely replicated a global study that looked at climate change anxiety across 10 countries – in which Canada was not included. 

"This is really the first nationally-representative survey," Galway said.

What surprised Galway the most was the extent to which people are feeling the impact of the climate crisis. Then again, no previous generation has had to cope with an existential threat to this level, she pointed out.

"There's this really unique injustice here. Young people haven't contributed to the problem, yet they are dealing with the problem," she said.

A problem that is becoming increasingly urgent.

Collective action brings hope

The purpose of the study, beyond collecting data, was to better assess what can be done to address people's growing anxieties.

But despite the negativity, 71 per cent of respondents still believe that together, people can do something to address climate change. Collective action is a key part of that, which serves the dual purpose of helping people process their emotions while also addressing the crisis itself, Galway said.

Last week, Lakehead students organized a protest outside the on-campus RBC in Thunder Bay in response to the bank funding fossil fuel projects. Galway, who said she often joins these events, praised students' efforts and said people can learn from young climate activists.

Chris Armiento, a recent Lakehead graduate and one of the organizers of Thursday's protest, said he didn't want people to get the wrong idea about what they were doing.

"We're not just doing this because we're trying to be radical or adversarial or something. We're just young students who are concerned about our futures and the inaction from our institutions and actually working towards a livable future for us," Armiento said.

Galway's study found that a third of respondents aren't talking about climate change and their emotions around it, and those that do often feel like they're being ignored. That's why creating safe spaces for people to have these conversations is an important step, she said.

At Thursday's protest, several students openly expressed their concerns, not only about RBC but about projects like the Coastal GasLink Pipeline and its impact on Indigenous people and their land. Consistent with Galway's findings, they also shared how encouraged they felt by their peers coming together to discuss these issues.

"It feels so good. This is part of it is that we're trying to build community," PhD student Mackenzie Barnett said at the event.

Galway said she hopes the survey results serve as a call to action for government officials.

"Look at the evidence, respond to the evidence. Listen to our young people who are saying do something about this problem," she said.

"If you care about young people, if you care about their well-being, [if you] care about their mental and emotional health, let's make some changes right now."