CLIMATE CHANGE, ECO-ANXIETY, AND COMMUNITY ADAPTATION: SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON RESILIENCE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND CLIMATE JUSTICE

Abstract

Climate change has become one of the social issues of this time and is having an impact on mental health, social inequity and community resilience. This paper aims to investigate eco-anxiety from a sociological perspective, which is the result of environmental uncertainty, structural vulnerability and climate risk exposure disparities. It takes inspiration from Risk Society, Political Ecology, Environmental Justice, Community Resilience and Intersectionality to suggest that eco-anxiety is not only a psychological reaction but also a result of broader socio-economic and ecological changes. The paper exemplifies how Indigenous knowledge, participatory governance and locally based adaptation strategies are critical in the global south and in India, particularly in the Sundarbans and in rural areas that are climate-sensitive. It also highlights the need for climate action to be just and to include the mental health dimension in the climate adaptation process, as well as policies that will benefit marginalised groups and people the most. Community-based adaptation, social solidarity and inclusive governance enhance resilience to climate-induced disruptions. The paper concludes that sustainable adaptation must be based on the synthesis of interdisciplinary approaches that bridge the fields of sociology, public health, environmental governance and development and promote justice.