Dutch youth are growing up in a world where environmental problems are hard to ignore. From disappearing green spaces to rising urban heat, many young adults feel these changes deeply. But how do they cope? And are we paying enough attention?

Our recent study surveyed over 1,000 young people in the Netherlands (aged 16–35) and found something striking: while nearly all respondents had experienced at least one form of environmental stress (especially noise and loss of nature), their emotional responses were far from uniform.

✅ About 20% reported that these stressors significantly affected their daily lives.
✅ 23% worried about the future of their local environment.
✅ 36% felt emotional pain (known as solastalgia) due to the degradation of their surroundings.
🚫 Yet at the same time, nearly 60% believed their own actions had little or no effect on environmental change.

The study reveals a complex picture: many young adults are clearly distressed by environmental degradation — but a large group also seems emotionally disengaged or feels powerless to act. Trust in government institutions is limited, and feelings of helplessness are widespread.

This mismatch between concern and engagement raises urgent questions:
How can we turn passive concern into meaningful action? How do we support young people in dealing with eco-anxiety and solastalgia? And how do we foster a sense of agency and collective care?

The answers may lie not just in policy, but in how we reconnect people — especially the next generation — with their local environments in ways that are empowering, inclusive, and hopeful.

Read the full study to explore how psychology, place attachment, and trust play a role in shaping how youth experience environmental change.

Venhof, V.S.M., Jeronimus, B.F. & Martens, P. (2025). Environmental Distress Among Dutch Young Adults: Worried Minds or Indifferent Hearts? EcoHealth https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-025-01717-x

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