Annual Review of Environment and Resources
The Rise of Eco-Anxiety in the Global South
- Fernanda Garanhani Surita
- Odette del Risco Sánchez
- Amasa Ferreira Carvalho
- Marcella Regina Cardoso
- Romáita Samuel Jackson Gujamo
- José Paulo Siqueira Guida
- Sônia Regina da Cal Seixas
2026-07-02
The emergence of concepts such as eco-anxiety, climate anxiety, and solastalgia in the literature highlights the need to systematize evidence on the different dimensions of psychological distress associated with environmental degradation and how they are experienced by populations in the Global South. Although research on these phenomena is expanding, much of the evidence has focused on countries in the Global North. This scoping review aims to map evidence for the impacts of extreme climate events on populations in the Global South. This review provides a critical and comprehensive analysis of the literature regarding the diverse impacts of extreme climate events, inadequate infrastructure, and eco-anxiety on the populations of the Global South. It also addresses several key issues, including equity and climate justice as well as social vulnerabilities such as poverty, hunger, food insecurity, and health challenges related to experiences of climate emergencies. The manifestation of these psychosocial phenomena linked to the occurrence of climate emergencies requires immediate responses from governments, health systems, civil society, activists, and all sectors of society.