Do Individuals with High Climate Anxiety Believe That They Will Die Earlier? First Evidence from Germany

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the association between climate anxiety and perceived longevity in the general adult German population (also stratified by age group). Study design: Nationally representative survey. Methods: Data were used of the general adult German population, with n = 3015 individuals (18 to 74 years; data collection: March 2022). Climate anxiety was assessed using the validated Climate Anxiety Scale. It was adjusted for a wide array of covariates in linear-log regression analysis. Results: Even after adjusting for various covariates, there was an association between higher (log) climate anxiety and a lower perceived longevity in the total sample (β = −1.41, p < 0.01). Stratified by age group, a significant association was only present among individuals aged 18 to 29 years (β = −3.58, p = 0.01), whereas it was not present in the other age groups (i.e., individuals aged 30 to 49 years, individuals aged 50 to 64 years, and individuals aged 65 years and over). Conclusions: This study showed an association between higher climate anxiety and lower perceived longevity, particularly among younger individuals. More clearly, younger individuals with a higher climate anxiety think they will die earlier. This is the first study on this topic and could serve as a foundation for upcoming research. For example, longitudinal studies are needed to confirm our findings.