“What is eco-anxiety? And how do young people in Bulgaria perceive natural disasters?”. In search of answers to these questions, the “For You” association presented the results of its study “Eco-anxiety through the eyes of young people” during a discussion organized jointly with the Public Center for Environment and Sustainable Development. The goal of the project is to understand to what extent young people are familiar with the term eco-anxiety and what feelings they experience in relation to environmental problems.
During the survey, volunteers in the project asked random young people questions to determine whether they were familiar with the term. The results showed that more than 50% of those surveyed had either never heard of eco-anxiety or were only vaguely familiar with it. The participants from the organization also showed cards depicting various ecological problems. Their idea was to use them to understand what emotions young people experience regarding the given problem. It turns out that the most common feeling was disappointment.
“More than 50% of young people are not familiar with what eco-anxiety is. Those who are informed say that they are anxious, but the topic does not concern them either. The most common feeling was disappointment. According to the respondents, there is not that much interest in environmental problems in Bulgaria, and even if they want to help, they are not supported by the institutions,” says a volunteer from the project.
Others say that the lack of information on the topic is the reason why they are not sufficiently familiar with the concept. A problem that is noticeable among young people is that they cannot express their emotions about the given picture with an environmental problem. The conclusion of the overall study is a lack of interest among young people. Others say that the lack of information on the topic is the reason why they are not sufficiently familiar with the concept. A problem that is noticeable among young people is that they cannot express their emotions about the given picture with an environmental problem. The conclusion of the overall study is a lack of interest among young people.
In this regard, the organization makes the following recommendations: to invite youth groups to the European Parliament to express their opinion on the issue; to create a public online booklet on eco-anxiety; to talk about emotional intelligence in schools; to share the topic on social networks and to create places where professionals can help young people.
In October in Brussels, the association “For You” will have the opportunity to present the recommendations prepared under the project to European deputies.
The meeting is part of the project “Young people create action research on Eco-anxiety”, funded by the “Erasmus +” program. It is implemented jointly with young people from five countries – Bulgaria, Italy, Belgium, Ireland and Lithuania. In each of these countries, they undergo training, together preparing recommendations with which to participate in this year’s youth assembly.
