Eco-anxiety and Hope

In December 2022, my research article and conceptualization of the process of eco-anxiety and grief was published. This blog post, which will be developed in early 2024, introduced methods to work with the Process Model either alone or together with others. An useful short introduction to the Process Model can be found in a two-part interview of me on the fabulous Generation Dread website by Britt Wray and colleagues.  Part 1 : "Here’s a helpful new way to visualize your journey through climate distress" Part 2 : "How to take breaks from the climate crisis without living in denial" Activities version 22nd Dec 2023 Questions for self-reflection and/or group discussions 1. Take a general look at the various chronological phases in the model. What thoughts arise?   2a. What do you think about Semiconsciousness and Awakening? Have you experienced something like that in relation to the ecological crisis? If so, when and how did things change?   2b. Do you know people wh...

  Music is one of the most important means for encountering climate emotions for myself, together with spending time outdoors, socializing with others, and doing embodied practices.   This playlist is an emotional journey. The atmospheres (a suitable word for the the topic, huh?) are more important than the lyrics, but some tracks have also been selected because of their lyrics. The playlist does follow roughly a process of crisis. There are fluctuations of sorrow and anger, but also of hope and beauty – as in our lives amidst the ecological crisis.   I would recommend listening to the playlist first without reading my comments about the songs, but many methods are suitable here.   1. Moby: Why does my heart feel so bad (reprise version) Reprise: the heart feels so bad again. The playlist starts with the situation where many people have found themselves in: asking why does it feel so bad. Especially when I started my work around eco-anxiety in the ea...

  Would it be better to use the formulation “climate emotion” or “eco-emotion”? This question surfaced again in relation to the Ecopsychepedia project , which is led by some very insightful Climate Psychology people . The ‘Pedia is a very promising project and I’m glad to participate in it. The question at hand is a complex one and I have been thinking about it a lot (see e.g. my recent article about climate emotions ). I think that both kinds of words are needed, and I’ll try here to explain my view. My broad definition of eco-emotions (sometimes called environmental emotions, and see also the Earth Emotions framework by Glenn Albrecht) is that they are emotions / feelings / affects which have been significantly evoked by ecological issues. There’s bound to be many factors which affect people’s emotions at any given moment, but it is very important to notice that ecological issues do cause and shape emotions. I define climate emotions as eco-emotions which are significantly re...

  A very big news day for me: 1) my article about Taxonomy of Climate Emotions was published and 2) a new Climate Emotions podcast was launched by Dr. Thomas Doherty and me ( http://climatechangeandhappiness.com ). Please give them a try and share the word if you find them useful! In the article, (1) I provide a large taxonomy of various emotions and feelings which can be connected with the climate crisis, and (2) I discuss these emotions in the light of interdisciplinary research. Two tables are offered which include references to research. The effort is quite ambitious and it is clear that more research is needed, but hopefully this article helps both emotion work in practice and future research. For a quick look, please see this table of various climate emotions . The title of the podcast is provocatively “Climate Change and Happiness”. We know that for numerous people, a logical title would be “CC and misery”. We wish to be sensitive to justice issues and we do discuss lots of...

  Panu Pihkala, Ph.D. Adjunct Professor of Environmental Theology (Title of Docent), University of Helsinki, Finland   For the Futures Committee of the Finnish Parliament A hearing of experts, Sustainability Transitions in everyday life 11th June 2021   VNS 3/2020 vp Valtioneuvoston selonteko kestävän kehityksen globaalista toimintaohjelmasta Agenda2030:sta Kohti hiilineutraalia hyvinvointiyhteiskuntaa [The Finnish Government and the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development]     Emotions and everyday life in relation to sustainability transitions   Various psychological and social factors contribute to sustainability transitions in everyday life. Psychosocial research that looks at these factors is an internationally emerging multidisciplinary field of research. [1] Included are complex questions about change, motivation, and decision-making. In short, people want a way out of feelings of guilt and desire an experience of social ac...