Many believe the children are the future. But what happens when we don’t ensure a new future for them? For Gen Zers, a wave of anxiety has spread in response to rampant and unchecked climate change, according to the "largest survey of its kind."
Medical journal the Lancet surveyed almost 16,000 16- to 25-year-olds from each state in the U.S.—and found the kids are quite simply not all right. A whopping 85% report being concerned about climate change, a worry that remains high across all political parties.
Climate change evokes feelings of anxiety (65.8%), powerlessness (65.8%), and fear (65.1%) among the youth—fueling a majority to agree with the sentiment that “people have failed to take care of the planet.”
“Young people in America are struggling emotionally and psychologically with the effects of climate change,” coauthor Lise Van Susteren wrote in the study’s press release. “They are afraid and angry and doubting their future prospects. As we decry the mental health crisis in America’s youth, and search for answers to address it, this survey helps to spotlight climate change as a significant source of distress,” she added, explaining that elected officials play a role.
Gen Zers in Rhode Island are the most anxious about climate change
Concern is widespread: In almost every state or state cluster, at least half of respondents said they were “very or extremely worried.”
But the youth is most concerned in these five places:
- Connecticut and Rhode Island
- Texas
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- Washington
Why are Connecticut’s youth the most anxious? The survey says levels of distress and a call for greater action in regard to climate change rose in places where respondents said their residence was affected by climate-related severe weather events. This stands true despite any political party affiliation.
“It is stunning to find such high levels of distress, and desire and plans for action, in young people across the country, in every state and of every political stripe,” wrote lead author Eric Lewandowski.
Republicans, however, are slightly less worried about the impact of climate change than Democrats or independents. And Gen Z is calling for the government to help, looking for politicians to carry out a plan to mitigate the worst of climate change and work with other nations globally.
Gen Zers in these states are the least concerned about climate change
- Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota
- Arkansas
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- South Carolina
How climate change impacts Gen Z’s future planning
It’s not just the mental health of the youngest generation of workers that is taking a big hit thanks to climate change—businesses are set to feel the strain too.
Across the board, 76% of respondents say “the future is frightening,” which impacts where they want to live, how many children they want to have, and how much they care about their careers. About 45% of Gen Zers and millennials plan to quit or have quit a job over climate concerns—per research from Deloitte.
In other words, companies have a stake in the game, too, if hurricanes and yellow skies don’t worry them on a personal level.
What has been called quiet quitting or presentism is a likely natural result of the pervasive malaise due to the feeling of the world as we know it ending. After all, 62% report feeling like humanity is doomed. It makes sense that if the youth doesn’t feel as if the future is a given, they wouldn’t engage as much in the rat race. Many Gen Zers question the importance of the work they put into their education (59%) and career (57%).
“It’s hard to stress too much over work as we can see the world crumbling in front of us,” Ayem Kpenkaan, a Gen Z software engineer turned content creator, once told Fortune.
