Climate Change and the Risk of Loneliness
摘要
This chapter addresses two global phenomena that pose a great challenge and threat to society and individuals: climate change and loneliness. Both the incidence and impact of climate change and loneliness seem to be growing in our lives with a substantial ominous prospect for the younger and older generations. It is possible that climate change and loneliness represent separate phenomena that share similar moderators making their effects more pronounced and leading to similar negative outcomes. Thus, the correlation between them may be spurious. However, this chapter also explores alternative pathways hypothesizing effects from climate change to loneliness. Climate change outcomes at the macro- meso- and micro-level are examined as possible mediators of the relationship between climate change and loneliness via the disruption of social bonds and increased social isolation. Another pathway outlines the engagement in the climate change movement and in pro-environmental behaviors as possible contributors to a reduced sense of loneliness through enhanced social bonding. This suggests a different pathway resulting in positive outcomes associated with reduced loneliness. The chapter concludes with suggestions for further research and policy.