TED Residency
Britt Wray: How climate change affects your mental health
Filmed:
Readability: 5.6
1,885,604 views
"For all that's ever been said about climate change, we haven't heard nearly enough about the psychological impacts of living in a warming world," says science writer Britt Wray. In this quick talk, she explores how climate change is threatening our well-being -- mental, social and spiritual -- and offers a starting point for what we can do about it.
Britt Wray - Science storyteller, author, broadcaster
Britt Wray's work is about life and what we make of it: past, present and future. Full bio
Britt Wray's work is about life and what we make of it: past, present and future. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
For all that's ever been said
about climate change,
about climate change,
0
1722
2810
00:16
we haven't heard nearly enough
about the psychological impacts
about the psychological impacts
1
4556
3880
00:20
of living in a warming world.
2
8460
2124
00:22
If you've heard the grim climate research
3
10608
1961
00:24
that science communicators like me
weave into our books and documentaries,
weave into our books and documentaries,
4
12593
3484
00:28
you've probably felt bouts of fear,
fatalism or hopelessness.
fatalism or hopelessness.
5
16101
3991
00:32
If you've been impacted
by climate disaster,
by climate disaster,
6
20617
2055
00:34
these feelings can set in much deeper,
7
22696
2278
00:36
leading to shock, trauma,
8
24998
2396
00:39
strained relationships, substance abuse
9
27418
1881
00:41
and the loss of personal
identity and control.
identity and control.
10
29323
2493
00:44
Vital political and technological work
is underway to moderate our climate chaos,
is underway to moderate our climate chaos,
11
32314
4232
00:48
but I'm here to evoke a feeling in you
12
36570
2644
00:51
for why we also need
our actions and policies
our actions and policies
13
39238
3119
00:54
to reflect an understanding
of how our changing environments
of how our changing environments
14
42381
2882
00:57
threaten our mental,
social and spiritual well-being.
social and spiritual well-being.
15
45287
3087
01:00
The anxiety, grief and depression
of climate scientists and activists
of climate scientists and activists
16
48970
3643
01:04
have been reported on for years.
17
52637
2016
01:06
Trends we've seen
after extreme weather events
after extreme weather events
18
54677
2150
01:08
like hurricane Sandy or Katrina
19
56851
1730
01:10
for increased PTSD and suicidality.
20
58605
2829
01:13
And there are rich mental-health data
from northern communities
from northern communities
21
61800
2976
01:16
where warming is the fastest,
22
64800
1444
01:18
like the Inuit in Labrador,
23
66268
2063
01:20
who face existential distress
as they witness the ice,
as they witness the ice,
24
68355
2873
01:23
a big part of their identity,
25
71252
1587
01:24
vanishing before their eyes.
26
72863
1867
01:27
Now if that weren't enough,
27
75220
1365
01:28
the American Psychological Association
28
76609
1850
01:30
says that our psychological
responses to climate change,
responses to climate change,
29
78483
2872
01:33
like conflict avoidance, helplessness
and resignation, are growing.
and resignation, are growing.
30
81379
4230
01:38
This means that our conscious
and unconscious mental processes
and unconscious mental processes
31
86101
2921
01:41
are holding us back
32
89046
1166
01:42
from identifying the causes
of the problem for what they are,
of the problem for what they are,
33
90236
2881
01:45
working on solutions and fostering
our own psychological resilience,
our own psychological resilience,
34
93141
3198
01:48
but we need all those things
to take on what we've created.
to take on what we've created.
35
96363
3539
01:52
Lately, I've been studying a phenomenon
36
100878
2066
01:54
that's just one example
of the emotional hardships
of the emotional hardships
37
102968
2515
01:57
that we're seeing.
38
105507
1189
01:58
And it comes in the form of a question
39
106720
1912
02:00
that a significant amount of people
in my generation are struggling to answer.
in my generation are struggling to answer.
40
108656
3707
02:04
That being:
41
112890
1183
02:06
Should I have a child
in the age of climate change?
in the age of climate change?
42
114097
3008
02:09
After all, any child born today
43
117613
1523
02:11
will have to live in a world
where hurricanes, flooding, wildfires --
where hurricanes, flooding, wildfires --
44
119160
3270
02:14
what we used to call natural disasters --
45
122454
1970
02:16
have become commonplace.
46
124448
1404
02:18
The hottest 20 years on record
occurred within the last 22.
occurred within the last 22.
47
126688
3754
02:23
The UN expects that two-thirds
of the global population
of the global population
48
131172
2802
02:25
may face water shortages
only six years from now.
only six years from now.
49
133998
2973
02:29
The World Bank predicts that by 2050,
50
137844
1833
02:31
there's going to be
140 million climate refugees
140 million climate refugees
51
139701
2928
02:34
in sub-Saharan Africa,
Latin America and South Asia.
Latin America and South Asia.
52
142653
2940
02:37
And other estimates put that number
at over one billion.
at over one billion.
53
145617
2968
02:41
Mass migrations and resource scarcity
54
149284
2190
02:43
increase the risk for violence,
war and political instability.
war and political instability.
55
151498
3981
02:48
The UN just reported that we are pushing
up to a million species to extinction,
up to a million species to extinction,
56
156146
4642
02:52
many within decades,
57
160812
1175
02:54
and our emissions are still increasing,
even after the Paris Agreement.
even after the Paris Agreement.
58
162011
4624
02:59
Over the last year and a half,
59
167373
1468
03:00
I've been conducting
workshops and interviews
workshops and interviews
60
168865
2111
03:03
with hundreds of people
61
171000
1198
03:04
about parenting in the climate crisis.
62
172222
2334
03:06
And I can tell you
63
174580
1156
03:07
that people who are worried about
having kids because of climate change
having kids because of climate change
64
175760
3357
03:11
are not motivated by an ascetic pride.
65
179141
1952
03:13
They're nerve-racked.
66
181117
1532
03:14
There's even a movement
called BirthStrike,
called BirthStrike,
67
182673
2062
03:16
whose members have declared
they're not going to have kids
they're not going to have kids
68
184759
2732
03:19
because of the state
of the ecological crisis
of the ecological crisis
69
187515
2189
03:21
and inaction from governments
to address this existential threat.
to address this existential threat.
70
189728
3127
03:24
And yes, other generations have also
faced their own apocalyptic dangers,
faced their own apocalyptic dangers,
71
192879
3467
03:28
but that is no reason to disregard
the very real threat to our survival now.
the very real threat to our survival now.
72
196370
3698
03:32
Some feel that it's better
to adopt children.
to adopt children.
73
200489
2810
03:35
Or that it's unethical
to have more than one,
to have more than one,
74
203323
2111
03:37
especially three, four or more,
75
205458
1738
03:39
because kids increase
greenhouse gas emissions.
greenhouse gas emissions.
76
207220
3381
03:42
Now, it is a really unfortunate
state of affairs
state of affairs
77
210625
3188
03:45
when people who want kids
sacrifice their right to
sacrifice their right to
78
213837
2391
03:48
because, somehow, they have been told
that their lifestyle choices are to blame
that their lifestyle choices are to blame
79
216252
4073
03:52
when the fault is far more systemic,
80
220349
1746
03:54
but let's just unpack the logic here.
81
222119
2150
03:57
So an oft-cited study
shows that, on average,
shows that, on average,
82
225048
2313
03:59
having one less child
in an industrialized nation
in an industrialized nation
83
227385
2700
04:02
can save about 59 tons
of carbon dioxide per year.
of carbon dioxide per year.
84
230109
3881
04:06
While in comparison,
85
234617
1420
04:08
living car-free saves nearly 2.5 tons,
86
236061
2943
04:11
avoiding a transatlantic flight --
and this is just one --
and this is just one --
87
239028
3056
04:14
saves about 1.5 tons,
88
242108
1960
04:16
and eating a plant-based diet
can save almost one ton per year.
can save almost one ton per year.
89
244092
3651
04:20
And consider that a Bangladeshi child
90
248760
2396
04:23
only adds 56 metric tons of carbon
to their parents' carbon legacy
to their parents' carbon legacy
91
251180
3844
04:27
over their lifetime,
92
255048
1452
04:28
while an American child, in comparison,
adds 9,441 to theirs.
adds 9,441 to theirs.
93
256524
5420
04:34
So this is why some people argue
94
262428
1532
04:35
that it's parents from nations
with huge carbon footprints
with huge carbon footprints
95
263984
2722
04:38
who should think the hardest
about how many kids they have.
about how many kids they have.
96
266730
2853
04:41
But the decision to have a child
and one's feelings about the future
and one's feelings about the future
97
269901
3349
04:45
are deeply personal,
98
273274
1436
04:46
and wrapped up
in all sorts of cultural norms,
in all sorts of cultural norms,
99
274734
2222
04:48
religious beliefs, socioeconomic status,
education levels and more.
education levels and more.
100
276980
3850
04:53
And so to some, this debate
about kids in the climate crisis
about kids in the climate crisis
101
281184
2817
04:56
can seem like it came from another planet.
102
284025
2531
04:58
Many have more immediate threats
to their survival to think about,
to their survival to think about,
103
286580
3183
05:01
like, how they're going to put
food on the table,
food on the table,
104
289787
2297
05:04
when they're a single mom
working three jobs,
working three jobs,
105
292108
2097
05:06
or they're HIV positive
or on the move in a migrant caravan.
or on the move in a migrant caravan.
106
294229
2991
05:09
Tragically, though, climate change
is really great at intersectionality.
is really great at intersectionality.
107
297244
3746
05:13
It multiplies the stresses
marginalized communities already face.
marginalized communities already face.
108
301387
3814
05:18
A political scientist once said to me
that a leading indicator
that a leading indicator
109
306442
2937
05:21
that climate change is starting
to hit home, psychologically,
to hit home, psychologically,
110
309403
3110
05:24
would be an increase
in the rate of informed women
in the rate of informed women
111
312537
2375
05:26
deciding to not have children.
112
314936
1671
05:29
Interesting.
113
317522
1150
05:31
Is it hitting home with you,
psychologically?
psychologically?
114
319236
2654
05:34
Are you perhaps someone
with climate-linked pre-traumatic stress?
with climate-linked pre-traumatic stress?
115
322521
3541
05:38
A climate psychiatrist coined that term,
116
326737
1952
05:40
and that's a profession now, by the way,
shrinks for climate woes.
shrinks for climate woes.
117
328713
3389
05:44
They're getting work at a time
when some high schoolers
when some high schoolers
118
332126
2578
05:46
don't want to apply
to university any longer,
to university any longer,
119
334728
2103
05:48
because they can't foresee
a future for themselves.
a future for themselves.
120
336855
2563
05:51
And this brings me back to my main point.
121
339831
2431
05:54
The growing concern about having kids
in the climate crisis
in the climate crisis
122
342910
2851
05:57
is an urgent indicator
of how hard-pressed people are feeling.
of how hard-pressed people are feeling.
123
345785
3995
06:03
Right now, students around the world
are screaming for change
are screaming for change
124
351110
3681
06:06
in the piercing voice of despair.
125
354815
1956
06:09
And the fact that we can see
how we contribute to this problem
how we contribute to this problem
126
357645
2913
06:12
that makes us feel unsafe
127
360582
1468
06:14
is crazy-making in itself.
128
362074
1833
06:16
Climate change is all-encompassing
129
364947
1932
06:18
and so are the ways
that it messes with our minds.
that it messes with our minds.
130
366903
2762
06:22
Many activists will tell you
131
370648
1366
06:24
that the best antidote
to grief is activism.
to grief is activism.
132
372038
2365
06:26
And some psychologists will tell you
the answer can be found in therapy.
the answer can be found in therapy.
133
374750
3547
06:30
Others believe the key is to imagine
you're on your deathbed,
you're on your deathbed,
134
378321
2905
06:33
reflecting back on what's mattered
the most in your life,
the most in your life,
135
381250
2690
06:35
so you can identify
what you should do more of now,
what you should do more of now,
136
383964
2399
06:38
with the time that you have left.
137
386387
1595
06:40
We need all these ideas, and more,
138
388006
1857
06:41
to take care of our innermost selves
139
389887
1746
06:43
as the environments we've known
become more punishing towards us.
become more punishing towards us.
140
391657
4126
06:47
And whether you have children or not,
141
395807
2143
06:49
we need to be honest
about what is happening,
about what is happening,
142
397974
2746
06:52
and what we owe one another.
143
400744
1867
06:55
We cannot afford to treat
144
403601
1246
06:56
the psychological impacts
of climate change
of climate change
145
404871
2076
06:58
as some afterthought,
146
406971
1161
07:00
because the other issues, of science,
technology and the politics and economy,
technology and the politics and economy,
147
408156
4286
07:04
feel hard, while this somehow feels soft.
148
412466
3333
07:08
Mental health needs to be an integral part
149
416807
2374
07:11
of any climate change survival strategy,
150
419205
2301
07:13
requiring funding,
and ethics of equity and care,
and ethics of equity and care,
151
421530
3320
07:16
and widespread awareness.
152
424874
1667
07:18
Because even if you're the most
emotionally avoidant person on the planet,
emotionally avoidant person on the planet,
153
426886
3556
07:22
there's no rug in the world
that's big enough to sweep this up under.
that's big enough to sweep this up under.
154
430466
3241
07:25
Thank you.
155
433731
1165
07:26
(Applause)
156
434920
3318
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Britt Wray - Science storyteller, author, broadcasterBritt Wray's work is about life and what we make of it: past, present and future.
Why you should listen
Author of the book Rise of the Necrofauna, cohost of the BBC podcast Tomorrow's World and guest host on Canada's legendary national science TV show The Nature of Things, Britt Wray shows audiences what's happening at the forefront of science, technology, ethics and environment, probing how it affects us. The New Yorker named her first book Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics, and Risks of De-Extinction one of the "books we loved" in 2017 and the Sunday Times called it a "must-read." By making science accessible and illuminating its possible consequences, Wray's writing, broadcasting and talks help us understand how the world is changing, creating a rich space for conversation about how each of us can respond to those changes.
Wray has been a summer host on CBC Radio 1's flagship science show Quirks and Quarks, and produced several radio documentaries for outlets such as BBC Radio 4, CBC IDEAS, WNYC's Studio 360 and Love and Radio. She created the interactive audio diary platform for frank speech about science called Aurator (aurator.org) which won the 2018 Society for the Social Studies of Science Award. Wray has a PhD in science communication with a focus on synthetic biology from the University of Copenhagen and holds a BSc (Hon) in biology from Queen's University and an interdisciplinary master's in art, media and design from OCAD University. She has also been a visiting scholar at the NYU Arthur L. Carter Institute for Journalism and was a 2019 TED Resident. Wray is currently writing a book about intimate dilemmas in the climate crisis.
Britt Wray | Speaker | TED.com