Coping with Eco-Anxiety

Eco-anxiety cannot be classified simply as a problem or a strength — it can be both. Researcher Panu Pihkala, who works at the intersection of emotions and environmental issues, has developed a theoretical process model for eco-anxiety. With the support of the Nessling Foundation, this model was turned into accessible, easy-to-understand videos in collaboration with an international team. In this blog post, he shares the background of the project.

Esplanade Park is full of tourists on a summer day in Helsinki. I walk with a tall Latino man toward the Runeberg statue, and together we say to the camera: “This is Teaching Climate Together.” I’m filming a video with social media creator Isaias Hernandez, known online as @queerbrownvegan. Our production will eventually be watched by more than 200,000 of his followers. The camera follows us into Kaivopuisto, where ecopsychologist Juni Sinkkonen gives an interview under a tree, and environmental author elin kelsey speaks from a rocky shoreline with the sea and Suomenlinna behind her.

In 2024, I led a project funded by the Nessling Foundation in which we produced two major video projects about environmental emotions: an animated short film and a long-form discussion video. At the same time, we filmed material for a documentary about the climate emotions of young adults. The film crew decided to come to Helsinki in person, which led to the moments described above — as well as many other summer encounters around the city. The project offered a unique opportunity to bring Finnish environmental emotion research to a broader international audience. As a side effect, we also helped spread a positive image of Finland, as our American colleagues were fascinated by many Finnish ways of working.

The main goal of the project was to help people cope with environmental emotions more effectively — both individually and within communities. Our key tool was the process model, which I describe in more detail below. We wanted to enable collaboration across generations, bringing together diverse perspectives on living with environmental emotions.

The completed videos are available at The Process of Eco-anxiety, and they were also shared across various social media platforms.

How Can We Cope with Eco-Anxiety?

The term eco-anxiety refers to varying degrees of significant concern about the environmental crisis. Sometimes it shows up as strong anxiety symptoms or depression. Fundamentally, eco-anxiety is about noticing the problems linked to the environmental crisis — and experiencing difficult emotions as a result. This awareness is also the starting point for any potential problem-solving. Eco-anxiety, therefore, is not simply a problem or a strength; it can be both.

After years of research, I developed a process model of eco-anxiety, which describes the different phases and dimensions often involved in encountering the environmental crisis.

The model distills things into something simpler. To adapt and transform, humans generally need three things: action, emotional processing, and care for one’s resources. Grief can help us face losses. Taking distance is at times necessary to allow the nervous system to calm down.

In the discussions held during the project, it became clear how differently people may struggle with this balance. Even recognizing one’s environmental emotions can be difficult — especially if one’s community doesn’t support it. Ideally, balance and coping strategies would be openly discussed in communities. The model also offers a compassionate message: it is understandable that emotions fluctuate.

Making sense of eco-anxiety in an international video collaboration

The project was strongly international from the start. Environmental emotions are a global issue, and diverse perspectives are essential. The core of the collaboration was the long-term partnership between myself and kelsey, which began in the early 2020s and continued through her residency in Lauttasaari. As a global citizen, kelsey brought with her a rich network of collaborators.

We produced several videos exploring different facets of eco-anxiety and the process model. The three-minute animated film The Dance: Living with Eco-anxiety, written by elin kelsey, portrays the life of a young person navigating the environmental crisis. Finding balance is often challenging. A sense of connection with nature is one important source of resilience.

The animation was produced by the Canadian Indigenous-led company Spotted Fawn, directed by Amanda Strong. Its visual language and music by Piqsiq draw from international traditions. During the project, some members of the production team were threatened by climate-intensified wildfires, bringing a sobering sense of relevance to the work.

The Teaching Climate Together discussion video dives into climate emotions with Isaias Hernandez. Known as QueerBrownVegan to more than a hundred thousand social media followers, his work broadens environmental communication — for example, toward Latinx audiences. In the video, Isaias reflects on his own history with environmental emotions. We also discussed activist burnout, a sadly common issue, and how rest and emotional processing can counterbalance it.

Filming was carried out by the Stranded Astronaut duo, Tehya Jennett and Maxfield Biggs. They simultaneously captured material for their upcoming documentary How Are You, Really?, which focuses on young adults’ wellbeing in the midst of the climate crisis. Their earlier short documentary about youth climate anxiety is available on Vimeo.