New Curtin University research has shown Australian young people have major concerns about climate change, which is having a significant impact on their lives and could have broader consequences decades into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Published in Sustainable Earth Reviews<\/a>, the study surveyed Australian university students belonging to Generation Z (people born between 1995 and 2010) and found climate change was their number one environmental concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More than 80 per cent reported being \u2018concerned\u2019 or \u2018very concerned\u2019 about climate change, with many revealing they felt anxious over the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Climate anxiety sees concern about climate change manifest as disturbing thoughts, overwhelming distress about future climate disasters and the continuing fate of humanity and the world. It can also translate into feelings of fear, insecurity, anger, exhaustion, powerlessness and sadness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Curtin Professor of Sustainability Dora Marinova<\/a> said climate anxiety was a contributing factor to Gen Z\u2019s overall sense of unease towards the future, which could have major future ramifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese young people are very concerned and, in a way, intimidated by the lack of concrete action being taken to battle climate change,\u201d Professor Marinova said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGen Z has serious concerns which will not only impact their mental health \u2014 which will be something society and the public health system will have to deal with \u2014 but also the choices young people make: how they spend their money, whether they have families, their choice of career and more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The study also revealed despite their concerns, only 35 per cent of Gen Z regularly engaged in traditional climate activism such as fundraising, donating money to worthy causes, supporting political campaigns, or participating in events such as marches or protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n