Subtitles section Play video
-
Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Rob.
-
And I’m Sam. When we talk about climate change, we usually talk about the effects on the planet,
-
or the economic consequences. But all the damage being done by climate change is also having an
-
effect on our minds, our mental health. Fires, heat waves, floods, hurricanes,
-
droughts… the list of climate emergencies goes on and on, and sometimes it all feels like doom and
-
gloom – an idiom describing a situation that is very bad and without hope. This worry is
-
leading to mental health problems, not just for the unfortunate people who experience climate
-
events first-hand, but for us all. In this programme, we’ll meet one expert
-
who’s investigating the link between climate change and mental health problems and hoping
-
to find some solutions. And, as usual, we’ll be learning some new vocabulary along the way.
-
But before that I have a question for you, Sam. The 2021 UK census reported
-
that three quarters of adults in Britain are worried about the impact of climate change,
-
and it’s a worry that’s shared by the young. According to a survey by Greenpeace,
-
what percentage of young people worldwide say they feel worried about climate change? Is it:
-
a) 74 percent? b) 84 percent? or
-
c) 94 percent? I think the figure will be high
-
among young people, so I’ll say b) 84 percent. OK, Sam, we’ll find out if that’s the correct
-
answer later in the programme. The expert I mentioned earlier who’s investigating
-
this problem is Dr Gesche Huebner, senior researcher at University College London.
-
Here Dr Huebner explains to BBC World Service programme, The Climate Question,
-
what she’s been finding out. I think we have very
-
clear evidence that, for example, hot temperatures - heat waves - are leading to an increased risk
-
of suicide and also other adverse mental health effects. We also have pretty good evidence that,
-
for example, experiencing a natural disaster - storms, flooding - are linked to negative
-
mental health outcomes such as post-traumatic stress disorder or other anxiety issues.
-
Many people who experience a climate change event like flooding suffer from post-traumatic
-
stress disorder, often shortened to PTSD – a serious mental health disorder that can
-
develop after a very bad experience like war, or natural disasters like a flood or fire.
-
But according to Dr Huebner, even people without direct experience can suffer anxiety issues about
-
what the future holds for our planet. This is known as climate anxiety, sometimes called climate
-
doom – a low-level feeling of nervousness or worry about the consequences of climate change.
-
These mental disorders are different in terms of how intense they feel,
-
but Dr Huebner describes them both as adverse – having a harmful or negative effect.
-
In all this doom and gloom, it’s easy to forget that many of the things which are
-
good for fighting climate change are also good for mental health. Here’s Dr Huebner again,
-
talking with BBC World Service’s, The Climate Question, this time focussing
-
on positive things which can be done to help. For example, if we get fossil fuel vehicles off
-
the road we can improve the air quality, and we know that per se can be good for mental health. If
-
we change our road infrastructure to enable more walking and cycling, again we have fewer… fossil
-
fuel being burned but also, we know that walking and cycling are very good for mental health. If
-
we can change our road layout and create more urban greenspaces, we already know that green
-
and blue spaces are good for mental health. Activities like walking and cycle reduce fossil
-
fuels and improve air quality, but they are also good per se – a Latin term meaning ‘in
-
and of itself’. Walking is good for climate reasons, but also good in itself – per se.
-
Dr Huebner also recommends more urban greenspaces – open areas for parks, plants and wildlife which
-
are built into the design of towns and cities. With creative thinking like this, it may still
-
be possible for today’s young people to have a planet worth living for. Speaking of which, Sam,
-
it’s time to reveal the answer to my question. Yes, you asked what percentage of young people
-
worldwide report feeling anxious about climate change. I guessed it was 84 percent.
-
Which was the correct answer! Well done! It’s a high percentage which is not surprising
-
considering that it’s future generations who will live with the consequences of what we do,
-
or fail to do, today. OK, let’s recap the vocabulary we’ve learned from this programme
-
about climate anxiety – feelings of distress caused by worrying about climate change.
-
The idiom ‘doom and gloom’ describes the feeling that a situation is very bad and without hope.
-
Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a serious mental illness that can develop as
-
a result of a very bad experience, like a war or natural disaster.
-
The adjective adverse means having a harmful, negative effect.
-
The Latin phrase per se, means ‘in itself’ and is used when considering the qualities of something
-
on its own, not in relation to something else. And finally, urban greenspaces are areas in towns
-
and cities which are reserved for parks, trees and wildlife. Once again, our six minutes are
-
up! Bye for now! Bye bye!
