Montana Climate Matters: Emotional impacts on Youth

If you are worried about the impact of climate change on our shared future, you’re not alone. Many of us are familiar with the economic impacts of climate-fueled disasters, including recent widespread flooding in Libby. A report from Climate Central calculated that climate caused $115 billion in economic damages in 2025. Yet, you may not have considered the growing emotional and psychological toll of the climate crisis.

Young people are especially worried about the future we’re leaving them. In a recent survey, more than 45% of Gen Zers said that worry about climate change interferes with their daily life. In another survey, nearly half of Gen Zers said that they were hesitant to have children of their own because of global warming. It’s called "eco-anxiety," which is defined by the American Psychological Association as "a chronic fear of environmental doom." Other terms include climate anxiety, solastalgia, climate doom, eco-grief, and climate despair.

This phenomenon impacts young people from all backgrounds, including in rural communities. A 4H survey of members ages 13 to 17 years old found that climate change is one of the top issues concerning them, and 84% think it may be too late to take environmental action for future generations. As reported in the Journal of Rural Health, many Montana farmers also experience anxiety around climate change. They worry about the toll of more-frequent droughts, extreme heat, wildfire, and intense storms on their livelihoods, families, and communities.

Jorja, a high-school student in Livingston, was recently interviewed by the New York Times. She noted that increasing intensity and duration of wildfires interfere with her ability to care for her horses, that she’s anxious about how climate change will shape her future. In a recent conversation on climate resiliency, Helena, a junior at Montana State University, explained that the impacts of decreased snowpack on skiing and extreme summer heat on fishing contribute to her angst. The effects of climate change on public lands and outdoor recreation are particularly troubling for her, but finding a support community has helped. “It feels good not to be alone with it and to know that other people care about climate action,” she added.

Anxiety is a natural response to our changing climate. According to a Yale Climate Change Communications study, “64% of Americans are at least “somewhat worried” about climate change, and 28% are very worried.” The Climate Psychology Alliance and Climate Psychiatry Alliance provide resources for people who need professional support if climate anxiety interferes with their daily life.

For most of us, it’s a balance between staying informed and protecting our mental health. Christmas Day 2025 broke all-time temperature records across much of Montana; it was 57 degrees F in Bozeman! Climate change is driven by our decision to double down on fossil fuels. The current Administration canceled US participation in the International Panel on Climate Change and recently repealed its 2009 finding that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. Young people have trouble making sense of these policy decisions in light of changes in climate that affect their future.

What can we do to address this problem? Ask and then listen to the young people you love about how they feel about the future. This is often a game-changing conversation for older adults. Remember that 74% of Americans believe climate change is real and happening compared to 14% who don’t. Talk about your favorite climate solutions. Shift the conversation to what’s possible and where action can lead to a stable climate, clean air and water, and clean energy. Young people are our future, and they deserve a better world.

Heather White is a frequent spokesperson in the media and has appeared on Fox News, ABC, Good Morning America, and other shows. She is founder of OneGreenThing.org

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By Heather White: March 15, 2026 - Big Timber, MT