Addressing Eco-anxiety among University Students

What are we doing? Advancing a discussion of how university instructors can address eco-anxiety among their students

Many Canadian university students, especially those studying environmental issues, experience climate-related emotions such as eco-anxiety, which are often insufficiently addressed and can be inadvertently reinforced by some teaching approaches. This discussion will explore critical pedagogy that pairs climate knowledge with psychological resilience and hope to better prepare students for an uncertain future.

• Tuesday, February 10 at 12:00-1:00pm ET
• Hybrid

Recent research points to an increasing number of students at universities across Canada experiencing one or more forms of climate change related emotions, such as eco-anxiety. This phenomenon is particularly manifest among those studying environmental issues who, by dint of their subject area, are inescapably exposed to the disturbing data surrounding climate change. Such anxiety, if not attended to, can lead to physical, emotional and cognitive impairment. Further research suggests that some students, specifically autistic youth, will likely struggle with eco-anxiety more than their neurotypical peers due to their difficulties with cognitive and emotional dysregulation.

Notwithstanding the above, findings of a recent survey conducted among instructors of environmental issues at five Canadian universities suggest that the climate anxieties students are experiencing are not being fully addressed and that some instructors, by only focusing on the negative aspects of climate change, or by being unable or unwilling to address the emotional aspects of this phenomenon, perpetuate feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness among their students.

Assuming that higher education ought to empower all students not only with the cognitive know-how but also with the psychological resilience which includes fostering some form of hope so as to help them confront an uncertain and difficult future, this talk advances a discussion on the contours of a critical pedagogy in universities at this crucial juncture of our time.

Dr. Simon Appolloni (PhD) is Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at the School of the Environment, University of Toronto. His teaching encompasses, worldviews, ethics, psychology and Earth-human relationships as they intersect with our environmental crisis. His current research interest lies in understanding and utilizing pedagogies of hope that build psychological resilience within students as they learn to cope with their climate anxiety and navigate paths toward sustainability. He is author of Convergent Knowing: Science and Christianity in Conversation with a Suffering Creation (McGill-Queens, 2018) and lead co-editor of Generation Laudato Si': Catholic Youth on Living out an Ecological Spirituality (Novalis, 2023).

Mallory Furlong holds a Master of Science in Sustainability Management and an Honours Bachelor of Environmental Science, both from the University of Toronto. She has a broad range of experience in education, social media and communications, energy, tourism, and the entertainment industry, which gives her a unique perspective on her work. For the past three years, Mallory has been conducting research on eco-anxiety amongst post-secondary students and autistic youth. This research led to the creation of Climate Crisis Cafe which provides a safe space for people to talk openly about their eco-anxiety. Currently, Mallory is working as a Project Coordinator, Grid Innovation at Alectra Utilities’ GRE&T Centre supporting Vehicle-to-Grid projects and the transition to a cleaner energy system.

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Host or Publisher Dalla Lana School of Public Health