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Erlijn van Genuchten

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Eco-Anger: Why this is the most effective emotion for inspiring climate action


Negative eco-emotions are becoming more frequent due to climate change (credit: chanintorn.v on Shutterstock)
Negative eco-emotions are becoming more frequent due to climate change (credit: chanintorn.v on Shutterstock)

Independent of whether you realize it or not: climate change is impacting your daily life, your health, and the health of the environment you live in. And none of us should take this lightly as it is one of the biggest current planetary threats! And we are not only physically threatened, but also mentally. For example, more and more people are deeply affected by grief, loss, and frustration about our current situation and recent developments. Some even experience depression or anxiety, which leads to frustration and anger.
These negative emotions are triggered by climate change because of the negative consequences climate change has on us. When these consequences are communicated and presented in a negative framing, this triggers negative eco-emotions. Eco-emotions are emotions related to ecological crises. For example:
  • eco-depression means that environmental issues make us feel miserable and depressed
  • eco-anger means that environmental issues make us feel frustrated, annoyed, and angry
  • eco-anxiety means that environmental issues make us feel anxious
These emotions are caused by learning about the consequences of climate change and are different from solastalgia: solastalgia refers to the distress caused by experiencing or having experienced environmental destruction.
Apart from emotional consequences, these emotions influence whether we are willing to take action toward a healthier planet. Taking action can happen on an individual and community level. This is how:
Taking action is a fine line between contributing to a healthier planet or not (credit: kwest on Shutterstock)
Taking action is a fine line between contributing to a healthier planet or not (credit: kwest on Shutterstock)


Individual action

The first way eco-emotions can trigger action is by inspiring individuals to adopt pro-environmental behavior. Pro-environmental behavior involves behavior that helps to keep our planet healthy and supports the well-being of current and future generations. While all eco-emotions affect our well-being, not all eco-motions trigger individuals to adopt pro-environmental behavior. For example, eco-depression is likely to disengage us from the climate threat, and eco-anxiety to trigger us to avoid the situation.
The only eco-emotion that seems to inspire individuals’ pro-environmental behavior is eco-anger. And the more angry and frustrated we feel, the larger our efforts to take personal actions to address climate issues. As addressing the issues contributes to making us feel empowered, this in turn reduces anxiety, depression, and stress.
As the type of emotion influences whether we are likely to take action, it can be helpful to communicate climate issues with a positive framing. This involves sharing a positive picture of a brighter future that inspires pro-environmental behavior and lifestyle changes.
Eco-anger can trigger individual action (credit: Cherries on Shutterstock)
Eco-anger can trigger individual action (credit: Cherries on Shutterstock)


Collective action

The second way eco-emotions can trigger action is by inspiring communities to adopt pro-environmental behavior. Although individuals in these communities have eco-emotions and not the communities themselves, the impact of these eco-emotions differs when we are with others. While eco-anxiety still makes people less likely to take collective action by disengaging with a collective initiative, eco-anger makes people more likely to join forces. This is because frustration and anger about environmental issues and injustice or unfairness trigger group-based anger and in turn motivate collective action.
Also, eco-depression triggers collective action. But as eco-depression has such a negative impact on well-being and mental health, it is probably better to promote eco-anger than eco-depression when communicating about climate issues.
Eco-depression and eco-anger inspire collective action (credit: SOMRERK WITTHAYANANT on Shutterstock)
Eco-depression and eco-anger inspire collective action (credit: SOMRERK WITTHAYANANT on Shutterstock)


How we can take action

So, when triggering emotions to inspire climate action, it is most effective to trigger eco-anger. This is because eco-anger inspires both individual and collective action. Although eco-depression also inspires people to take collective action, it is not suggested to trigger miserable feelings because of the large negative health consequences.
Here are practical ideas of what you and I can do to inspire positive action:
Do you have further ideas of what you and I could do? Thank you in advance for leaving them in a comment to this question for us all to get inspired.
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Did you enjoy this article? Then I’m sure you’ll love my book “A Guide to A Healthier Planet” as well. Have a peek inside the book at:
A Guide to a Healthier Planet

A Guide to a Healthier Planet

This book focuses on closing the gap between scientific insights on pressing environmental issues that do not often reach the general public.

https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/guide-to-a-healthier-planet


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About the author

Dr. Erlijn van Genuchten is a an internationally recognized environmental sustainability expert. She is a science communicator, helping scientists in the fields of nature and sustainability increase the outreach of their results and allowing us all to put scientific insights into practice and contribute to a sustainable future. Erlijn has inspired thousands of people around the world — for example — by supporting the United Nations with her expertise, her book “A Guide to A Healthier Planet” published by Springer Nature, her YouTube channel Xplore Nature, and her posts on social media.


Credit

Stanley, S. K., Hogg, T. L., Leviston, Z., & Walker, I. (2021). From anger to action: Differential impacts of eco-anxiety, eco-depression, and eco-anger on climate action and wellbeing. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 1, 100003.

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