Description
Abstract
Purpose: This study addresses climate change anxiety and associated behavioural actions among young people in India.
Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on primary survey data collected from 135 respondents aged 18-40 years across India. Further, to achieve the study’s objectives, the authors utilized Climate Change Anxiety and MEV measures.
Findings: The study finds that 8.1 percent of young people came across climate change anxiety most often, followed by 20.0 percent and 40.0 percent of youth who witnessed climate change anxiety frequently and occasionally, respectively. On the other hand,14.8 percent of young people had never seen any climate change anxiety in their lifestyle due to their busy day-to-day schedules. In addition, the study also finds that 54.8 percent of the youth agree that due to climate change anxiety, there has been a behavioural change in their lifestyle.
Social Implications: The study highlights the significant issue of climate change anxiety and its related behavioural changes in India’s young population. The findings present a social implication for India’s policy planners to tackle climate change anxiety among youth.
Originality/value: This study adds value to the limited research on climate change anxiety and its associated behavioural changes in India’s young population. The study finds that climate change anxiety might be a barrier to pursuing goals important to the young generation, such as education, career, and families, which may result in a direct loss to the individual youth and an indirect loss to the Indian economic growth.
Keywords: Anxiety, Behavioural Actions, Climate Change, Psychological Effects, Youth.
