A landmark national survey has revealed that a growing number of Canadians are experiencing clinically significant levels of anxiety over climate change — a mental-health burden researchers say demands urgent policy attention.
Published this October 2025 in Nature Mental Health, the interdisciplinary study estimates that 2.35 percent of Canada’s population — roughly one in forty people — report symptoms of climate-related anxiety severe enough to interfere with daily life.
The survey, conducted among 2,476 participants nationwide, is the first to provide a representative, population-level estimate of climate anxiety in Canada. Researchers combined epidemiological and psychological methods to assess how widespread and intense climate distress has become.
The study found that climate anxiety is not evenly distributed across the population. Indigenous peoples, women, northern residents, and lower-income households showed the highest prevalence of anxiety linked to environmental changes.
Lead author Dr. S. L. Harper said the results highlight a growing equity issue in the climate crisis.
“These data show that while severe climate anxiety remains relatively uncommon, its burden falls disproportionately on marginalized groups who are also more exposed to environmental risks,” Harper said in the report.
Indigenous communities, particularly in Canada’s North, face rapid ecological disruptions such as melting permafrost, changing wildlife patterns, and unpredictable weather — all of which intensify psychological distress and cultural loss.
According to the study, households earning under CAD 60,000 per year were also more likely to experience higher anxiety scores, underscoring the link between financial insecurity and environmental vulnerability.
Canadians Struggling with Climate Anxiety
Mental-health experts say that climate-related anxiety — often referred to as eco-anxiety — is increasingly being recognized as a legitimate clinical concern.
“It’s definitely a struggle to manage the anxiety because it’s very, very intense. You can’t just change the situation,” said Dr. Kiffer Card, a researcher with the Mental Health and Climate Change Alliance in British Columbia, in an interview with CBC News.
Card, who studies the mental-health effects of climate change among youth, said many young Canadians report feelings of fear, helplessness, and even betrayal over the lack of political action.
“They feel they’ve inherited a crisis that’s not of their making,” he told CBC. “The frustration and despair are real.”
CBC’s report also cited young activists who describe sleepless nights and panic episodes triggered by news of wildfires, floods, or rising temperatures. For some, climate anxiety manifests as physical symptoms — racing heartbeat, loss of appetite, or chronic fatigue — that disrupt daily routines.
Experts emphasize that climate anxiety is not necessarily irrational. Psychologist and author Britt Wray, who studies climate-related emotions at Stanford University, told CBC that the anxiety can be a “healthy, moral reaction to the reality we face.”
“It’s a sign of care and connection,” Wray said. “But when it becomes overwhelming and starts impairing your ability to function, that’s when it crosses into a clinical problem.”
The Nature Mental Health study echoes this sentiment, noting that some level of concern is adaptive — it motivates individuals and communities to act. Yet when the sense of threat becomes constant and unmanageable, it can lead to depression, burnout, or avoidance behaviors.
A Widespread but Uneven Mental-Health Burden
Although only 2.35 percent of Canadians report clinical levels of anxiety, the broader pool of people experiencing moderate distress is far larger.
According to a national poll referenced by CBC, nearly three-quarters of Canadians say climate change negatively affects their mental health, while one-third feel hopeless about the country’s ability to slow global warming.
These numbers suggest that while most Canadians are not clinically impaired, millions feel a consistent undercurrent of climate-related worry.
Dr. Harper and her co-authors argue that policymakers need to recognize this “hidden burden” as part of Canada’s public-health landscape. “Mental health is a critical yet overlooked dimension of climate adaptation,” the report states. “Ignoring the psychological toll could exacerbate existing inequities and undermine resilience.”
Across the country, psychologists and community groups are calling for mental-health services tailored to climate-related distress.
Dr. Card said traditional therapy models often fail to address the existential nature of climate anxiety.
“You can’t just tell someone to think positively when their fears are based on scientific reality,” he said. “We need frameworks that validate their feelings and help them channel anxiety into constructive engagement.”
Some organizations, such as the Climate Psychology Alliance North America, are now training therapists to recognize and treat climate-related emotions. Support networks and peer groups have also begun forming in several provinces, offering spaces where people can discuss eco-grief and environmental loss.
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Climate Anxiety Reflects Real-World Events
The rise in anxiety parallels escalating climate disasters across Canada. In the past two years alone, the country has seen record wildfires, deadly heatwaves, and flooding that displaced thousands.
These events, researchers say, reinforce feelings of helplessness — particularly among those already living close to environmental hazards.
“Every time a major disaster hits, we see spikes in distress calls,” Card told CBC. “People are not just worried about the future anymore; they’re traumatized by what’s already happening.”
Experts suggest that empowering individuals to participate in climate solutions may help mitigate anxiety.
“Action is one of the most effective antidotes to despair,” Wray said. “When people join community projects, volunteer, or advocate for change, they regain a sense of agency.”
The Nature study’s authors agree, noting that social connection and purpose-driven engagement can buffer mental-health impacts. Still, they caution that personal coping strategies are not a substitute for systemic reform.
Policy Implications
The researchers urge Canadian policymakers to integrate mental-health support into national climate adaptation strategies. This includes funding research, public education, and culturally relevant interventions for Indigenous and rural communities.
They also recommend that governments measure the psychological dimensions of climate change alongside economic and environmental indicators.
“Addressing climate change must include caring for the minds of those who live through it,” Harper said. “We can’t separate mental well-being from environmental resilience.”
While climate change is often discussed in terms of temperature thresholds or emission targets, experts say the emotional cost deserves equal attention.
As Canada prepares for another season of extreme weather, the study serves as a reminder that behind every environmental statistic is a personal story of fear, loss, or uncertainty.
“Climate anxiety is not a weakness,” Card told CBC. “It’s a mirror of the world we live in — and a signal that we need to do better.” (Sulung Prasetyo)
