How do we grieve the climate?
Alyssa Vandenberg
Alyssa Vandenberg
25th Forum Post 10th Training Completed 10th Congressional Contact
34 Posts

The “change” aspect of climate change can cause a deep and real sense of loss – we mourn ecological degradation, depletion of natural landscapes, and, perhaps most relevant to our discussion of personal resilience, a severe loss of peace of mind. It is normal to feel grief and anxiety when experiencing these types of changes. This article from the BBC discusses the work of grief researchers William Worden and Thomas Attig, who explore these feelings in the typical context of grief. They explain that when you lose a loved one, you have to adjust to a world that now feels changed in their absence. However, this concept also applies to climate change. If you’re like me, you have felt a profound sense of grief for the damage that climate change has already done, and anticipatory grief for the further negative consequences that will occur if things do not change. The good news is, grief is not necessarily a solely negative emotion. It helps us adjust to our circumstances and can motivate us to act. The BBC article also mentions that it can be helpful to name the emotion you’re experiencing. Doing so allows you to better accept and share these climate-grief related emotions. The Climate Mental Health Network has created a climate emotions wheel that may support you in this practice.

Of course, be mindful of how much your climate grief is affecting you; you may want to seek support from your community or a mental health professional, if needed. And if you are looking for a safe space to share your climate grief, remember that the CCL Personal Resilience Action Team hosts weekly Circles of Personal Resilience on Tuesdays.

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