3497 - CLIMATE ANXIETY AND ECO-GRIEF AMONG RWANDAN YOUTH

Session: 3491 - CLIMATE CHANGE AND MENTAL HEALTH IN AFRICA: PSYCHOLOGICAL RESILIENCE, VULNERABILITY, AND POLICY INNOVATIONS
AUTHORS:
Gaparayi Gaspard (University of Rwanda ~ Kigali ~ Rwanda) , Mumah Solomon (University of Rwanda ~ Kigali ~ Rwanda)
Abstract text:
Climate change awareness is rising among Rwanda's youth, fueled by social media, activism, and lived experience of climate impacts. This has generated climate anxiety—a persistent fear of ecological doom—and eco-grief, mourning for environmental loss. Through surveys and focus groups with university students and high school learners, this paper investigates the prevalence and intensity of climate anxiety in Kigali and Butare. Results reveal significant psychological strain, manifesting as sleep disturbances, hopelessness, and reduced academic performance. Interestingly, youth actively engaged in climate activism reported both heightened anxiety and greater resilience, suggesting a "double-edged" psychological effect. The paper advocates for mental health literacy, counseling services in schools, and partnerships between educational institutions and environmental agencies.