Young Quebecers least optimistic about the climate crisis

Caution tape is show around SUVs at a dealership, placed there by Members of the Quebec branch of Extinction Rebellion to highlight the ongoing climate crisis. FILE PHOTO - THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Young Quebecers are significantly more concerned than those in other Canadian provinces about climate issues, even going so far as to question their decision to have children.

A fall 2022 Léger survey found that among more than 3,000 Canadians aged 15 to 39, 80 per cent of Quebecers surveyed do not believe that the climate situation will improve over the next year, compared to 72 per cent elsewhere in the country.

This eco-anxiety among young people is caused by what they hear, whether it's about environmental upheaval, loss of biodiversity, pollution or ecotoxicity.

"But it can also come from the inaction they see around them," said Inês Lopes, a psychologist and environmental and social educator, in an interview.

According to Lopes, eco-anxiety can be expressed in various forms, be it psychological, physiological or cognitive.

"It can range from mild to severe, with physiological signs such as shortness of breath, sweating, insomnia or a lump in the stomach. Some will feel significant despair or pessimism about the future and life decisions," she said.

The survey shows that these concerns can even influence some of the major decisions of young Canadians. According to the data, a quarter of Generation Z.

Among the reasons given by these respondents, 44 per cent said they were not comfortable bringing children into the world in the context of the climate crisis.

For Alexandra Hénault, 21, her concerns about the climate are at odds with her desire to be a biological mother.

"I remember that in 2018, the IPCC report made me very uncertain about my own future, and I had insomnia. I thought, 'What is my role as a mother if I don't have confidence in the future? What image does that send to the child?'" she said.

This questioning of parenthood can sometimes provoke reactions, especially among the older generations, Lopes said. Although the desire of some parents to have grandchildren is legitimate, more and more young people feel that the impacts of the climate crisis do not leave them much choice.

"I think having a child at the moment is also an additional polluting factor. And if I don't have hope for the future, I don't know if that would make me a good mother," said Hénault.

NECESSARY DETACHMENT?

Among the many impacts of eco-anxiety, the 'what if' questions and catastrophic scenarios are also a source of stress for many young people. While some develop avoidance mechanisms, others get involved in activist groups to get rid of their feelings of powerlessness.

Consulting a health professional can help to manage this range of emotions, which can be paralyzing. Other avenues are also possible, said Lopes, depending on the individual's behaviour and emotions.

"It really depends on where the person is in their eco-anxiety. We won't give the same advice to a person who is in avoidance and another who is in relentlessness," she said, adding that there is a diversity of eco-anxieties.

For Hénault, the best way to reduce this anxiety is to detach oneself as best one can from the bleak possibilities of the future.

"I don't do as much research as I used to because it was too stressful. I used to go and read different scenarios, for example, if the earth would warm up by 2, 3 or 5 degrees... Today, I still experience eco-anxiety, but in a different way... I'm careful about what I eat and consume, but I'm not going to stop myself from living," she said.

According to a 2021 Léger survey, 73 per cent of Quebecers between the ages of 18 and 34 say they are eco-anxious, an affliction specific to Generation Z and millennials.

"We can't deny science and eco-anxiety can have consequences on career choices, educational choices and even personal finances... You have to discuss this with young people, always validating their perception. Their worries are justified, but we don't want them to take up all the mental space," said Lopes.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 7, 2023.

This article was produced with the financial support of the Meta and Canadian Press News Grants.