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Listen: How students and teachers are talking about climate
Students are heading back to school, and in addition to all of the usual challenges of the school year, some children are carrying an extra weight: climate anxiety.
Photo Credit: Photo by Sven Brandsma on Unsplash
When it rains, it … is ‘terrifying’
After a summer of tragic flash floods, a once-cozy or inconvenient weather event is causing anxiety and dread for some.
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New Orleans children carry Hurricane Katrina’s trauma into adulthood
Two decades after Hurricane Katrina, adults who experienced the storm as children continue to struggle with emotional scars and a fractured sense of home, as climate threats to New Orleans persist.
In short:
- When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, over 370,000 school-age children were displaced, thousands were reported missing, and many lost parents, homes, and community connections.
- Survivors like E’jaaz Mason and Arnold Burks, both 13 at the time, recount trauma that went unspoken for years; a Harvard study found one in six affected children developed lasting mental health issues.
- Despite post-Katrina infrastructure improvements, Louisiana’s coast continues to erode rapidly, and climate change is increasing hurricane risks while cuts to federal disaster agencies may leave future generations more vulnerable.
Key quote:
"Imagine someone just taking your brain and taking everything you know, shaking up your head, shaking up your memory, shaking everything, and then ripping it away. And putting it back after it was destroyed."
— Eric Griggs, vice president of Access Health Louisiana
Why this matters:
Disasters can permanently affect the minds and health of those who survive them, especially children. Hurricane Katrina offers a stark example of how trauma and displacement ripple through generations, particularly in under-resourced Black communities that bore the brunt of the storm. In the years since, rising sea levels and increasingly violent storms have placed New Orleans and other Gulf Coast cities in the path of repeated disasters, while ongoing erosion strips Louisiana of vital wetlands that once buffered storm surges. Cuts to emergency response infrastructure and weather forecasting agencies further heighten risk, raising concerns that the failures of 2005 could repeat. The children of Katrina are now adults, and their stories raise hard questions about what, if anything, has changed.
Learn more: Exploring the link between prenatal stress from natural disasters and child psychiatric conditions
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Climate change drives global mental health crisis in vulnerable communities
As the climate crisis deepens, communities from South Africa to the Solomon Islands are struggling with rising rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma, with little access to mental health care.
In short:
- Climate change is not only destroying crops, homes, and economies but also triggering widespread mental health challenges, especially in under-resourced communities.
- Farmers in South Africa, families in Nigeria, youth in the Solomon Islands, and residents of Bhutan all report grief, anger, and psychological distress as weather patterns shift and traditional livelihoods collapse.
- Experts warn that support systems are underfunded and mental health care must be built into climate responses from the start, not added as an afterthought.
Key quote:
“We are not causing climate change, yet we are the ones heavily affected.”
— Matthew Bibao Paikea, health worker, Solomon Islands
Why this matters:
Mental health is often the hidden toll of climate change. Droughts, rising seas, and disasters don’t just destroy property or food supplies; they also wear down people’s ability to cope. The trauma is especially acute in poorer communities that depend on the land and sea for survival. In the Solomon Islands, crops are dying and diseases are rising. In Nigeria, flooding and displacement are fueling gender-based violence and depression. In South Africa, years without rain have left entire towns on edge. Women and the elderly often bear the brunt. Mental health services are scarce, especially where they’re needed most.
Related EHN coverage: Pollution’s mental toll: How air, water and climate pollution shape our mental health
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Rising summer heat drives more Americans indoors and sparks mental health concerns
Americans are retreating indoors during record heat waves, raising concerns about a lesser-known form of seasonal depression linked to extreme summer temperatures.
In short:
- Summers across U.S. cities are now about 2.6 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than 50 years ago, forcing many people to rearrange daily routines to avoid heat exposure.
- Psychiatrists report more cases of “summer seasonal affective disorder,” a condition tied to heat-related stress, disrupted sleep, and reduced social interaction.
- Experts warn that climate change is amplifying heat waves, which may worsen mood disorders, anxiety, and even suicide risk.
Key quote:
“I am not optimistic.”
— Ayman Fanous, psychiatry professor at the University of Arizona
Why this matters:
More people are staying inside for months at a time, which limits sunlight, social contact, and exercise — key buffers against depression and anxiety. Communities without reliable air conditioning face the greatest risks, yet even those with cooling are experiencing a shift in daily life as outdoor activities become unsafe. These patterns mirror winter’s isolation but occur during what used to be the most socially vibrant season of the year. As heat waves grow longer and more intense, researchers warn of cascading mental health effects that public health systems and city planners are only beginning to address.
Read more: A customizable survival kit for climate-fueled disasters
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Joanna Macy, who pioneered ‘despair work’ on climate grief, dies at 96
Joanna Macy, whose workshops and books helped people confront grief over environmental destruction and turn it into activism, died at her Berkeley home at 96.
In short:
- Macy developed “despair work,” later called “the work that reconnects,” to help people process eco-anxiety and motivate environmental action.
- Her approach combined Buddhism, systems theory, and grief stages, influencing climate-aware therapy movements that emerged decades later.
- The Work That Reconnects Network and the Joanna Macy Center at Naropa University continue to share her methods worldwide.
Key quote:
“When we take it in our hands, when we can just be with it and keep breathing, then it turns. It turns to reveal its other face, and the other face of our pain for the world is our love for the world, our absolutely inseparable connectedness with all life.”
— Joanna Macy
Why this matters:
Psychologists now recognize “eco-anxiety” as a real response to environmental threats, linked to grief and feelings of helplessness. This emotional toll can lead to depression or disengagement, but it can also spur activism and community building. As more people confront the psychological weight of a warming world, approaches like Macy’s that frame grief as connected to love for the planet offer a way to process despair without denial.
Related: One of the most overlooked consequences of climate change? Our mental health
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Outdoor jobs help teens connect with nature and community
Teens in western Massachusetts are joining Greenagers, a local nonprofit, to work outdoors building trails and protecting ecosystems — gaining both job experience and a deeper bond with the natural world.
In short:
- Greenagers trains high school students in trail work and environmental restoration, pairing them with college-age leaders to remove invasive species, build paths, and protect wetlands.
- The program saw increased interest during and after the pandemic, as parents sought ways to engage youth offline and outdoors, and participants often report long-lasting personal and mental health benefits.
- After the Trump administration cut AmeriCorps funding in April 2025, Greenagers stepped in to pay affected workers through summer, emphasizing its commitment to mentoring and environmental stewardship.
Key quote:
“My kid didn’t really want to go outside, or know what to do outside, and now they can’t get enough of it.”
— Will Conklin, founder and executive director of Greenagers
Why this matters:
As more young people report screen fatigue and rising mental health struggles, outdoor work programs like Greenagers offer a counterbalance rooted in physical effort, social connection, and nature. These experiences can foster environmental literacy and a sense of belonging — two qualities increasingly rare in a digital-first world. Studies show that spending time outdoors improves cognitive function, emotional well-being, and even sleep. Programs that combine stewardship and job skills can also offer pathways to future careers in conservation or science. In a warming climate, the ability to understand, protect, and repair natural ecosystems becomes not just useful but urgent, particularly for younger generations who will face its long-term impacts firsthand.
Related: Teen-run conservation group helps Minnesota youth cope with climate stress through action
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