The quiet crisis: environmental change and youth mental health

Abstract

The climate and nature crises are driving a decline in the mental health of young people that cannot be ignored. While other drivers such as technology and social media use or the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns are more commonly discussed, this quiet crisis requires urgent action by charities and governments alike. We also cannot afford to dismiss the impacts of environmental change on youth mental health as ‘eco-anxiety’: these impacts are complex and wide-ranging.