Characteristics of Climate Anxiety in South Korea

Abstract

Climate change can affect mental health directly and indirectly through extreme weather events and long-term environmental changes. Recently, public interest in climate anxiety has increased as the discussion has broadened to include awareness of climate change affecting mental health. This study conducted an online survey targeting 2,000 adults aged 19-65 to determine the level and characteristics of climate anxiety among Korean adults. The average score of the Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS) among Korean adults was 1.90 out of 5, which is similar to the level reported in recent studies. In particular, the younger the age, the higher the CCAS score. Climate anxiety was found to have a significant effect on pro-environmental behavior through self-efficacy, confirming that climate anxiety leads to pro-environmental behavior. This suggests that maintaining a moderate level of climate anxiety can positively motivate individuals to become interested in and engage with climate change action. However, if not properly managed, climate anxiety can escalate into a pathological problem, so it is time to explore effective interventions.