Tag Archives: mental-health

Climate Change, Human Health, Planetary Health

Feeling the heat -or not?

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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

#EnvironmentalDistress #Solastalgia #DutchYouth #PlanetaryHealth #MentalHealth #EcoAnxiety #YoungVoices #Sustainability #ClimateJustice

Climate Change, Human Health, indigenous worldview, Planetary Health

Sámi People’s Perspectives on Environmental Change and Mental Well-Being

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The current body of research on the interplay between environmental shifts and the mental well-being of Circumpolar Indigenous Peoples predominantly adopts a ‘deficit’ perspective, focusing on risks and vulnerabilities. However, scant attention has been paid to exploring the protective and resilience-enhancing factors rooted in Indigenous strengths, particularly among populations such as the Sámi in the Circumpolar North.

Circumpolar Indigenous communities such as the Sámi possess rich traditional knowledge and cultural practices deeply intertwined with their environment and identity. Areas warranting deeper qualitative exploration encompass the dynamics of ‘strength-based factors’ interplay, the influence of community norms, individual coping strategies, and language for the Sámi community, as well as the distinctive variations and parallels among Circumpolar Indigenous peoples’ encounters and viewpoints regarding mental well-being amidst environmental shifts. In forthcoming mental health research and policy formulation, collaboration and inclusion of Indigenous communities stand as imperative steps to deepen comprehension of local adversities, vulnerabilities, and strengths alongside the intricate interplay of social, economic, and historical elements impacting mental well-being, as well as the (local) potential for adaptation.

By studying Indigenous people’s perspectives, public health efforts can identify and build on existing strengths within Indigenous communities and families to support their capacity to adapt to environmental changes and to promote and protect mental well-being. Integrating their perspectives can help tailor public health interventions to be culturally relevant, place-specific, and respectful of Indigenous values and knowledge. Moreover, this approach facilitates the identification of vulnerable groups and addresses disparities in mental health outcomes across the Circumpolar North. Circumpolar Indigenous communities such as the Sámi possess a distinctive holistic perspective on health, embracing mental, physical, and spiritual dimensions. By integrating these viewpoints into research and policymaking processes, involving Indigenous voices can yield more robust public health strategies, effectively addressing mental health within a broader framework.

Read the full paper here: Venhof, V.S.M., Stephens, C., Martens, P. (2024). Voices from the North: Exploring Sámi People’s Perspectives on Environmental Change and Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Literature Review. Challenges, 15, 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/challe15020030