Notes on Climate Emotions and Mental Health of Climate Scientists

Overview of the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference

• Event Location: Glasgow, Scotland
• Attendees: 120 world leaders
• Objective: Discuss substantial reductions in global emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change.

The Role of Climate Scientists

• Thousands of experts contribute to climate change research, including:
  • Modellers
  • Biologists
  • Physicists
  • Chemists
  • Geologists
• They compile comprehensive research, producing reports and academic studies to enhance understanding of climate change.
• Over decades, the findings have illustrated a worsening outlook for the future of the planet, leading to emotional distress among researchers.

Climate Anxiety and Mental Health

• Climate Anxiety: An emerging topic of study that explores the mental health impacts on those working in climate science.
• Notable issues related to mental health among climate scientists include:
  • Burnout
  • Climate anxiety
  • Climate grief
• The document aims to create awareness of the emotional experiences of climate scientists and promote safe spaces for discussing these feelings.

Research on Climate Emotions by Joe Duggan

• Between 2014 and 2020, Joe Duggan gathered letters from climate scientists detailing their feelings about climate change.
• Findings: 73 letters were coded, with a majority coming from first-time contributors, showing widespread emotional responses.
• Emotion Analysis: Negative emotions were more prevalent than positive ones. Common negative emotions included:
  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Distress
  • Frustration
  • Powerlessness

Hope as a Complex Emotion

• The analysis identified two forms of hope expressed by climate scientists:
  1. Logic-based hope: Derived from recognizing positive political and social changes.
  2. Wishful hope: Accompanied by negative undertones, expressing a desire for future improvement.
• Hope is not strictly a positive sentiment but has multifaceted dimensions that require further investigation.

Comparison with Other Projects

• Similar studies report a broad spectrum of emotions experienced by environmental researchers, often highlighting feelings like:
  • Frustration
  • Guilt
  • Determination
  • Faithfulness
  • Outrage

Conclusion

• The complex emotional landscape surrounding climate science reflects a need for deeper exploration and understanding of how these feelings influence the work and well-being of scientists engaged in climate change research.