Climate Check-in - how are we feeling?

How does one react when confronted with the extinction of a thousand species? Or when one stands witness to the degradation of ancestral forests and the bleaching of our precious coral reefs? How do you react when you feel the heat on your skin and you sense that this world is no longer the same world that you grew up in? This year is poised to be the hottest year on record. 

A pain arises in the pit of the stomach and heart. Fear dances with sadness and it knows no bounds. It may be a sudden tang of powerful emotions or a constant drone humming in the back of one's mind. Climate anxiety is a chronic fear of environmental doom. This anxiety often arises from another feeling, ecological grief. While anxiety is a fear of the future, grief stems from that which has already occurred. For the children and young people of our country, these are very real and lived experiences. 

The climate crisis gives rise to complex reactions. It is a normal reaction to an abnormal crisis. There is sadness, anxiety, but also a sense of betrayal as those who have contributed little to climate change must handle the harshest brunt of the consequences. It only becomes an issue when the anxiety and grief is debilitating and impacts day-to-day functioning. The grief and anxiety stems from the love, adoration, and respect that one has for the natural world and its life. It is a sadness that emanates from the heart’s crevices that still remembers the interconnectedness of life. The pain of our oceans and beaches, polluted with plastic or chemical waste becomes your pain. The pain of a lagoon teeming with life, drowning in sediment from reclamation becomes your pain. Pain inflicted on the world is pain inflicted on your own body. That is the nature of climate grief. The anxiety is not knowing when this violence will cease. It is devastating, but it is a normal reaction.

Once we understand that our pain arises from love, we must embrace the love if we are to make it out of this together. But it is okay if it is difficult to take action when in the deep depths of grief. The overwhelming focus for the individual to turn the tides against the climate crisis is exhausting. Embracing love and taking solace in the natural world can be powerful. Time in nature can transform anxiety and grief into acceptance and love. Strengthening one's bond with nature can create a sense of long-lasting peace and contentment. Spending time near the water, hiking winding paths, or even planting your first seed at home is a way to nurture a bond with nature. Time in nature is a reminder of the resilience that lies in both yourself and the natural world. With time, the line between grief, anxiety, and love will blur and transform into a source of strength. 

However, you are feeling, know that you are not alone. Turn grief into strength by seeking those who love the Earth and share similar struggles, worries, and fears. Feelings of anxiety and grief are made worse when dismissed by others. Dismissal makes one feel isolated in their thoughts. ‘Climate Cafes’ are popping up across the world. These gatherings host open, inclusive spaces for people to gather and share their feelings about the climate crisis. In the Maldives a local group of climate activists have started climate discussions as part of the Climate Coalition MV or Stay Grounded initiative. These relatively new gatherings are not meant to be an all-out solution, nor are they meant to provide psychological help. They are simply spaces to express. Open conversations can help validate feelings and empower people to use their skills and talents in the fight against the climate crisis. It is our yearning for connection and togetherness that we must fulfill. It is through this collective effort that real transformation can take place.

The discourse on climate change has placed the brunt of the responsibility on individual action for the past decades. Individual action is powerful, but the rhetoric on isolated ‘individual effort’ places the blame and responsibility on individuals instead of the extractive industries and systems of injustice. It may seem that no matter how much you recycle, compost, or reduce your consumption levels, there is no genuine change. 

Collective action is one of the most powerful antidotes to climate anxiety and grief. A study from a coalition of researchers led by the Yale School of Public Health suggests that collective action helps young people deal with climate anxiety. Collective action fostered a powerful sense of hope, community connection, and social support.