Year: 2026 | Month: August | Volume: 13 | Issue: 8 | Pages: 154-181
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260817
From Anxiety to Action? Climate Anxiety and Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Systematic Review
Chioma Veronica Opara1, Tyler Hall1, Omolara Yetunde Oni2, Myriam Rudaz1
1Department of Human Development and Family Science, Florida State University, 2Teaching Learning and Teacher Education, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. United States.
Corresponding Author: Chioma Veronica Opara
ABSTRACT
Climate change presents numerous physical and psychological problems, with adolescents and young adults experiencing significantly higher levels of climate anxiety. This systematic review synthesized evidence from 26 empirical studies published between 2012 and 2024 to examine the relationship between climate anxiety and pro-environmental behavior (PEB). Following PRISMA guidelines, we examined five databases and reviewed 1,847 records, generating a final sample of research including various regions, populations, and methodologies. The findings indicated that climate anxiety is a multifaceted construct. In several studies, climate anxiety revealed a positive relationship with pro-environmental behavior, including sustainable consumption, energy conservation, and climate activism. Excessive anxiety often resulted in "eco-paralysis.” Environmental efficacy (the belief that one’s actions can make a difference) appeared as a significant moderator; those with higher efficacy were more likely to translate distress into constructive engagement. Methodological limitations such as dependence on cross-sectional student samples, regional bias towards Western contexts, and inconsistent measurement instruments, restricted the generalizability of the findings. The study emphasizes the importance of longitudinal and intervention studies, along with greater representation from the Global South. The findings highlight the importance of integrating climate anxiety into education, mental health care, and policy.
Keywords: climate anxiety, pro-environmental behavior, climate change anxiety, systematic review
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