Major new research will examine whether younger people are more anxious about the climate emergency than older generations.
The study will examine if millennials and those younger do worry more about environmental changes, who they blame and how they cope.
Social media memes and hashtags suggest "baby boomers" are often blamed for global problems, including climate change, at least according to millennials. Intergenerational blame may distract from real solutions and foster discord and disengagement.
The study will also examine if being a member of a group can help people worry less about the environment and encourage them to become politically engaged.
It is led by Professor Juliet Carlisle, a University of Exeter Scholar sponsored by the US-UK Fulbright Commission.
Professor Carlisle said: "It's important to understand how people think about climate change if we want to engage with its effects and opportunities. Climate change is thought to have led to an increase in the prevalence in mental health problems including distress, grief, depression, PTSD, and suicide.
"In the future we are likely to see more climate anxiety among young people. Building their resilience and engaging them in solutions may differ from approaches used with older generations. But positive emotions like hope can build resilience, inspire climate action and reduce anxiety.
"The study will examine if younger people experience different emotions about climate change compared to those who are older, and whether collective engagement fosters hope, resilience, and political action differently across generations."
Generational differences in climate emotions, attitudes, and behaviors may exist because younger generations have grown up with heightened exposure to climate change through school, media, and extreme weather events. While younger generations may feel its effects more acutely, comparing today's climate activists with those of older generations, who also protested, offers valuable insights into the evolution of environmental activism.
Professor Carlisle, who will interview those in citizen societies and groups in Exeter, said: "I want to see if hope can moderate the effect of climate anxiety on mental health, and if it can lead to political action. If so, what is the nature of hope and does it exist and manifest differently across generations? What does this mean for the future of climate politics and policy in the UK?"
