A groundbreaking new study published in The Lancet reveals that climate change is fuelling a mental health crisis among young people, with 85% of nearly 16,000 respondents in the U.S. reporting significant distress.
Although this study focuses on the U.S., the close connection between our two countries makes it highly likely that the same impacts are being felt in Canada. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CAMH) has acknowledged that “the climate crisis is affecting mental health in ways no one has seen before.”
Multiple crises are likely converging in ways that strain our collective resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic affected us all, leaving many of us mentally and socially weakened. This mental strain has been amplified by a surge of disinformation, growing political polarization, and the increasingly severe impacts of climate change.
For the sake of our youth, we must directly confront the primary causes of the climate crisis and the disinformation that surrounds it. Fossil fuel pollution is responsible for around 85% of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, the most significant greenhouse gas driving climate change.
For decades, fossil fuel companies have misled the public, but the tide is finally turning. In a recent U.S. court ruling (Aloha Petroleum v. National Union Fire Insurance), AIG Insurance successfully argued that fossil fuel companies were fully aware of the climate risks their operations posed. This decision marks a pivotal step toward climate accountability, with major institutions now holding these companies responsible. This shift is crucial, as nearly a quarter of Americans live in jurisdictions currently suing oil companies for climate misinformation.
Politicians who buy into climate disinformation are failing our youth. Imagine the impact on young people’s mental health if fossil fuel pollution in Canada rises after the next federal election, just as it did in Ontario after the Progressive Conservatives were elected. We must demand that every candidate offers a clear, actionable climate plan—and hold them accountable if they fall short.
Most Canadians worry about climate change, but many feel quickly overwhelmed and isolated. Thus, a key antidote is to join with others. This will help alleviate climate trauma and post-pandemic loneliness.
It’s important to note our youth are not giving up. Canada was the first country outside of Europe to initiate Fridays For Future strikes on November 2, 2018. While the pandemic slowed participation and some youth aged out, Fridays For Future activists are still active across Canada today—in Halifax, St. John’s, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Sudbury, Winnipeg, Brandon, Regina, Edmonton, Vancouver, Qualicum Beach, and many other cities. Here in our electoral district, there are weekly climate strikes led by Climate Action Muskoka in Bracebridge, Burk’s Falls, Sundridge and Parry Sounds. Join them and show your support!
Many cities also have local networks of climate-concerned citizens that are doing exemplary climate work. Starting in 2018, over 650 Canadian municipalities have declared a climate emergency, including the town of Huntsville in June 2021. More recently, cities are endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty too, which calls for a managed phase-out of fossil fuels globally.
People are actively working to create a safe and healthy environment for future generations. Join them in this effort—it will contribute to the well-being of ourselves and our youth.
By Cathy Orland (Sudbury) and Kaitlyn McDonald (Huntsville), Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada
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