2.3.2.1 Earth system destabilisation and anomie

Anomie is defined here as a state of a society or community, characterised by a breakdown of social norms, social ties and social reality, resulting in social disorder and disorganisation, disorientation and disconnection, which manifests itself on the individual level often through mental health deterioration and increased suicide rates and/or deviant behaviour (Brown, 2022; Teymoori et al., 2017). Although this is a nascent area of research, there is increasing evidence to suggest that changes in the Earth system can contribute to anomie. For instance, it has been observed in the aftermath of natural disasters, made more likely by climate change (Miller, 2016), and it has been suggested (Brown, 2022) that Earth system destabilisation may result in a new form of anomie, called environmental anomie. Environmental anomie emerges where sudden changes to the physical landscape (e.g. unprecedented wildfires) can upend the established social order,  undermine people’s ability to comprehend (i.e. familiar environment becomes unintelligible), relate to and function within their environment. This results in a breakdown of self-efficacy, with a sense of unreality taking hold (e.g. burning tree branches falling from the sky) and feelings of security and connection to place becoming undermined. Environmental anomie can be further exacerbated when those affected witness that traditional authorities are overwhelmed and unable to respond to the physical chaos, which undermines confidence and leads to an individuation of suffering and feelings of social isolation (Brown, 2022). 

Beyond anomie resulting from extreme weather events caused by escalating climate change, there is also evidence for a rise in anomic experiences, particularly by young people and children around the world, contributing to a mental health crisis (Hickman et al., 2021). In a first comprehensive study, surveying 10,000 children and young people (16-25 years) in 10 countries (Australia, Brazil, Finland, France, India, Nigeria, Philippines, Portugal, UK and US) researchers (Hickman et al., 2021) found that more than 45 per cent said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning, 75 per cent reported they think the future is frightening, and 83 per cent said they think people (adults) have failed to take care of the planet. Climate and eco-anxiety and distress correlated with perceived inadequate government response and associated feelings of betrayal and abandonment by governments and adults, constituting a sense of ‘moral injury’ (the distressing psychological aftermath experienced when one perpetrates or witnesses actions that violate moral or core beliefs) among many young (Hickman et al., 2021). Longitudinal studies show a rapid increase in anxiety among the young since 2010 (Haidt et al., ongoing; Parodi et al., 2021; Duffy et al., 2019), though longitudinal records for climate and eco-anxiety are not available. Respondents from the multi-national survey (Hickman et al., 2021) also reported that when they tried to talk about climate change with adults they were ignored or dismissed, contributing to feelings of social isolation. But it is not just the young experiencing the effects of climate change on mental health – it is negatively affecting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of people of all ages globally, but more profoundly of poor and vulnerable populations (Lawrence et al., 2021; Clayton et al., 2017), as well as women and Indigenous people (IPCC, 2022; Sultana, 2022).