Around the time of COP26 in 2021, “eco-anxiety” became a widely reported phenomenon. In the years that have followed, people have had to confront several challenges ranging from the cost-of-living crisis to the threats of war and conflict in addition to continuous existential worries about climate change and ecological collapse.
Although the stress of experiencing a continuing polycrisis affects people of all demographics, recent research from GlobeScan shows that Gen Z respondents across 31 countries and territories are more than twice as likely to say they frequently experience stress and anxiety than are Baby Boomers and older. The data show that more than one-third of young people experience stress and anxiety extensively and the younger people are, the more likely they are to claim they experience it. North Americans, especially those in the US, are also more likely to say they are frequently stressed or anxious than people in other regions.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Survey Question: Now we would like you to answer a few questions about what you do in your everyday life. Please indicate how often you do each of the following. ‒ I feel stressed or anxious
Source: GlobeScan Radar Trends Report (survey of 29,565 people in the general public across 31 countries and territories in July ‒ August 2023)
