As climate change intensifies across Asia, young people are grappling with eco-anxiety—a deep sense of fear and helplessness about the planet’s future. However, rather than succumbing to despair, many Asian youth are channeling their concerns into grassroots movements, mental health advocacy, art, and activism to demand change and build resilience.

Rising Eco-Anxiety in Asia

The impacts of climate change are stark across Asia: severe flooding in Pakistan, deadly heatwaves in India, and rising sea levels threatening Pacific Island nations. This environmental turbulence is fueling widespread eco-anxiety, particularly among young people who feel disproportionately burdened by the climate crisis. A 2021 global study published in The Lancet found that 84% of surveyed youth were at least moderately worried about climate change, with 59% reporting they felt “very worried.”

Grassroots Movements: Turning Fear into Action

Youth-led grassroots movements are flourishing across Asia, transforming anxiety into activism:

• Fridays for Future India: Inspired by Greta Thunberg, Indian students have mobilized nationwide under the Fridays for Future banner. They organize climate strikes, awareness campaigns, and lobbying efforts to push for more sustainable policies. Despite facing crackdowns, including a government block on their website in 2021, these activists remain undeterred.

• Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (YACAP): This youth-led organization campaigns against coal-fired power plants, which are major contributors to the Philippines’ greenhouse gas emissions. Their protests and digital campaigns combine urgency with creative messaging to draw attention to the country’s vulnerability to typhoons and rising sea levels.

• 350.org Asia-Pacific: With operations spanning Asia, this movement connects youth climate activists from countries like Japan, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. Their grassroots training sessions empower young leaders to tackle eco-anxiety through collective action.

Mental Health Initiatives Addressing Eco-Anxiety

As eco-anxiety grows, Asian communities are beginning to address its mental health implications:

• Singapore’s Climate Psychology Alliance (CPA): Recognizing the mental health toll of climate change, CPA provides counseling and resources for individuals struggling with eco-anxiety. Workshops offer a space to process fears and discuss solutions, helping participants shift from paralysis to empowerment.

• Philippines’ Project Alpas: Founded by climate advocates, this organization focuses on mental health support for environmental activists. It provides safe spaces where youth can share experiences and build resilience to cope with climate-induced anxiety.

• India’s “Mind the Climate” Initiative: Created by young mental health advocates, this project merges psychology and climate advocacy. It hosts webinars and creates educational materials to normalize discussions about eco-anxiety among Indian youth.

Art and Activism: Expressing Urgency

Art has emerged as a powerful medium for young Asians to process eco-anxiety and inspire change:

• Chiharu Shiota’s Installations (Japan): While not exclusively youth-focused, Shiota’s large-scale installations evoke themes of interconnectedness and loss, resonating deeply with young people. Her work inspires reflections on the fragility of ecosystems.

• Digital Storytelling in Indonesia: Platforms like Jeda untuk Iklim (Pause for the Climate) encourage youth to share personal stories about how climate change impacts their lives. These narratives humanize the crisis, driving home its urgency.

• Youth Theater in Bangladesh: Community-driven plays depict the hardships of rising seas and climate displacement, fostering awareness and empathy among local audiences.

Fighting for the Future: Hope in Action

The next generation of Asian leaders is turning eco-anxiety into hope through advocacy, innovation, and activism:

• Greenpreneurs in South Korea: Young entrepreneurs are spearheading sustainable businesses, from zero-waste stores to eco-friendly tech startups, creating tangible solutions to environmental problems.

• Youth-Led Climate Litigation in South Korea: In 2020, South Korean youth filed a constitutional lawsuit against the government for inadequate climate action, reflecting their determination to hold leaders accountable.

• Solar-Powered Schools in Bhutan: Bhutanese students are driving renewable energy adoption by installing solar panels on schools and educating communities about sustainable practices.

Conclusion

For Asia’s youth, eco-anxiety is a potent motivator for change rather than a paralyzing fear. Through grassroots movements, mental health advocacy, and creative expression, they are rewriting the narrative of climate despair into one of resilience and action. By tackling the climate crisis head-on, these young leaders offer a powerful reminder: where there is anxiety, there is also opportunity to create a better future.