Presentation by Marc Eric S. Reyes (he/him/his)

Environmental identity refers to an individual's understanding of how their environment shapes their identity and relationships with others. As a result of environmental degradation, this connection to nature may give rise to psychological distress, namely climate change anxiety. Further, when experienced firsthand, environmental identity has been shown to motivate a person to pursue pro-environmental behavior. Thus, using an explanatory, cross-sectional design, we examined whether environmental identity (EI) is a predictor of climate change anxiety (CCA) and whether pro-environmental behavior (PEB) moderates their relationship. Seven hundred sixty-one Filipinos aged 18 to 25 completed an online test battery consisting of the Revised Environmental Identity Scale, Climate Change Anxiety Scale, and Pro-Environmental Behavior Scale. Our findings revealed a significant positive relationship between environmental identity and climate change anxiety. However, moderation analysis indicated that environmental identity is only associated with climate change anxiety among Filipino participants who engage highly in pro-environmental behavior but not among those who are low. Thus, Gen Z Filipinos who connect more with nature and the environment (high EI) experience significant anxiety with the worsening climate change (high CCA) only for those who actively engage in pro-environmental behavior (high PEB). Practical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.

Presentation by Tugba Altin (she/her) - PhD-ABD in Environmental Design

In an era marked by pronounced climate change consequences, communities are observed to confront traumatic events that yield both tangible and intangible repercussions. Such events not only cause discernible damage to the landscape but also deeply affect the intangible aspects, including emotional distress and disruptions to cultural landscapes. The Lytton Creek Fire of 2021 serves as a case in point. Beyond the visible destruction, the less overt but profoundly impactful disturbance to place attachment (PA) is scrutinized. PA, representing the emotional and cognitive bonds individuals establish with their environments, is crucial for understanding how such events impact cultural identity and connection to the land. The study underscores the significance of addressing both tangible and intangible traumas for holistic community recovery. As communities renegotiate their affiliations with altered environments, the cultural landscape emerges as instrumental in shaping place-based identities. This renewed understanding is pivotal for reshaping adaptation planning. The research advocates for adaptation strategies rooted in the lived experiences and testimonies of the affected populations. By incorporating both the tangible and intangible facets of trauma, planning efforts are suggested to be more culturally attuned and emotionally insightful, fostering true resonance with the affected communities. Through such a comprehensive lens, this study contributes enriching the climate change discourse, emphasizing the intertwined nature of tangible recovery and the imperative of emotional and cultural healing after environmental disasters. Following the pronounced aftermath of the Lytton Creek Fire in 2021, research aims to deeply understand its impact on place attachment (PA), encompassing the emotional and cognitive bonds individuals form with their environments. The interpretive phenomenological approach, enriched by a hermeneutic framework, is adopted, emphasizing the experiences of the Lytton community and co-researchers. Phenomenology informed the understanding of 'place' as the focal point of attachment, providing insights into its formation and evolution after traumatic events. Data collection departs from conventional methods. Instead of traditional interviews, walking audio sessions and photo elicitation methods are utilized. These allow co-researchers to immerse themselves in the environment, re-experience, and articulate memories and feelings in real-time. Walking audio facilitates reflections on spatial narratives post-trauma, while photo voices captured intangible emotions, enabling the visualization of place-based experiences. The analysis is collaborative, ensuring the co-researchers' experiences and interpretations are central. Emphasizing their agency in knowledge production, the process is rigorous, facilitated by the harmonious blend of interpretive phenomenology and hermeneutic insights. The findings underscore the need for adaptation and recovery efforts to address emotional traumas alongside tangible damages. By exploring PA post-disaster, the research not only fills a significant gap but advocates for an inclusive approach to community recovery. Furthermore, the participatory methodologies employed challenge traditional research paradigms, heralding potential shifts in qualitative research norms.

Presentation by Lindsay P. Galway

BACKGROUND: As the consequences of climate change become more severe and widespread, efforts to understand and address the emotional dimensions of the climate crisis are increasingly necessary. Over the last decade, research examining the experiences, impacts, and relevance of climate emotions has rapidly emerged. However, numerous knowledge gaps remain including limited understanding of the lived experiences in the context of rural, remote, and midsize communities.

AIM AND METHODS: The aim of this study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of climate emotions in rural, remote, and midsize cities across Canada. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews followed by a letter writing process with 28 participants representing diversity in terms of geography, climate vulnerability, and socio-demographic characteristics.

FINDINGS: Thematic network analysis resulted in three global themes: (1) complex, intense, and interconnected climate emotions, (2) factors shaping climate emotions, and (3) consequences of climate emotions. The findings demonstrate that the lived experiences of climate emotions involve a wide array of complex, interconnected, and embodied emotions characterized by affective dilemmas and tensions. For most, climate emotions are intense, challenging, and experience in isolation. Importantly, the data illustrate the influence of identities, social factors, perceived responsibilities, and place as well as the significance of climate emotions in terms of life decisions and wellbeing.

CONCLUSION: The findings have important implications for understanding the nuances of the unique experiences of climate emotions in the rural, remote, and midsize community context. In conclusion, we echo the calls of other scholars and practitioners who have emphasized the imperative of acknowledging, validating, and sharing complex and entangled climate emotions and recognizing the intersecting influences of social and geographic location when doing so.

Presentation by Aspen Murray (she/her)

Background: Like much of Canada, British Columbia is currently facing two converging issues: a housing crisis and a climate crisis. As a province often referred to as a “climate leader”, it also experiences an above-average core housing need (13.4% of households, as opposed to the national average of 10.1%, according to the 2021 Census). However, as is the case nationally, there is little discussion of how these two issues interact and reinforce one another. One example is how climate change impacts housing stock when severe weather events damage or destroy homes. Beyond these physical damages, there are salient emotional impacts of losing one’s home — particularly given that “home” extends beyond a physical space and into an idea of security and emotional safety. Thus, this paper contributes to two gaps. First, it asks: how is climate change adaptation being approached in housing policy in British Columbia? Second, do current policies address the emotional dimensions of disaster and “home”?

Methods: This paper takes a qualitative, mixed methods approach. First, I completed key informant interviews with twenty-one interviewees from various policy and leadership backgrounds, including employees of municipal, provincial, and Indigenous governments. Second, I am conducting a qualitative content analysis using interview data as well as policy documents from 2000 to present.

Results: This paper aims to deliver a picture of how deeply climate change adaptation has been integrated into housing policy, as well as whether that integration also addresses place attachment and, more broadly, the emotional dimensions of climate disaster.

Conclusions: The conclusions from this research will illuminate potential gaps in how climate change and housing are considered together, particularly as they pertain to the emotions of home and place.

An interactive poster session featuring the following short presentations and breakout discussions:

• Invasive ecological collaboration - A species-based approach to art & emotions in a changed landscape by Joshua Ralph (he/they)

• Community gardens and health: Growing gratitude by Ashley Stoltz, RN (she/her)

• Connecting Communities: The Break The Divide Approach to Climate Emotions in High Schools across Canada by Break the Divide

Workshop with Dzung X. Vo, MD (he/him)

Mindfulness means paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and with unconditional love. In this 60 minute experiential presentation, Dr. Vo will explore how mindfulness practice can support mental health and planetary health. Dr. Vo will share insights and meditations from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and others on our deep “interbeing nature” with the Earth. We will explore the topic of “engaged mindfulness,” and how we can transform insights into action and healing.

Workshop with Kimberly Sogge, PhD CPsych Clinical Psychologist & Certified Mindful Self Compassion Teacher & Awake in the Wild facilitator (She/Her)

Background:
The research of Dr. Kristin Neff of University of Texas at Austin on the three components of Mindful Self Compassion: 1) mindfulness 2) inter-being or common humanity and 3) kindness with a motivation to alleviate suffering or compassion has revolutionized contemporary psychological interventions. The author suggests that large scale empowerment of communities with psychological resilience tools like Wild Self Compassion is a potential pathway for mental health practitioners to participate proactively in building community resilience to climate change.

Methods
This experiential workshop integrates the research based practices from Dr. Neff's Mindful Self Compassion curriculum with the nature-based mindfulness practices of buddhist teacher Mark Coleman (author of Awake in the Wild) to create a toolkit of psychological resilience skills named Wild Self Compassion that are offered to mental health practitioners who intend to build climate resilience by building inner and outer communities based on mindfulness, interconnection, and compassionate wisdom. This workshop will begin with a brief review of relevant research on mindful seld compassion and nature based mindfulness, will proceed to offer a sampler of experiential practices in Wild Self Compassion, and will conclude with community self inquiry to strengthen awareness of community and inner connections with compassionate self energy and compassion resources in nature.

Results
The results in this training are intended to increase mindfulness in nature and self compassion as measured in four ways:
-participant self administration of the Neff Self Compassion Scale (through link posted during workshop)
-participant self administration of the Awe Experience Scale - AWE-S (through link posted during workshop)
-participant self journallilng during workshop
-community guided reflection and self inquiry during workshop in triads and large group

Conclusions
In a time of climate change health care professionals must look for research-based ways to create, implement and evaluate psychological resilience tools that can be easily scaled to empower communities to have the psychological resilience to face the stresses and challenges associated with difficult social and ecological shifts related to climate change. In this experiential workshop, the author, a registered psychologist, certified self compassion teacher, and experienced mindfulness teacher suggests that the integration of Mindful Self Compassion and nature based mindfuliness, or Wild Self Compassion is one set of psychological tools that could serve this function.

Presentation by Terra Léger-Goodes, Catherine Herba, Jonathan Smith, Marc-André Éthier, David Lefrançois, and Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise.

Background: Learning about the effects of global climate change can come with an increase in climate emotions. Little space for discussing and expressing these emotions exists in the classroom, which can lead children to avoid them and potentially disengage from the issue or develop psychological distress. Combining creative arts and philosophical inquiry rooted in existential psychology could provide a space to promote emotional awareness and regulation, while exploring values and reflecting on a common problem.

Method: The present study aimed to document the acceptability of a seven-weeks creative arts and philosophical inquiry intervention to address climate change emotions with elementary school students. A descriptive qualitative design was implemented with a sample of 14 students and their teacher. Data were collected through observation grids, recordings of group discussions, and individual semi-structured interviews with students and the teacher. A thematic analysis with both an inductive and deductive approach to guide analyses was used.

Results: The first theme that emerged related to the acceptability of the intervention. Children indicated that the subject of climate change was important to them. However, a sense of frustration emerged, as they wished that climate change did not exist. Nonetheless, students and the teacher shared that they would want to participate again. The second theme pertained to coping with the reality of climate change. Students appreciated the space to express thoughts and feelings related to climate change and believed that creating art was a helpful outlet which allowed them to express their emotions.

Conclusions: The findings inform us of the need for such programs in schools, and documents potential tools that could be used by teachers and mental health professionals to discuss climate change. As children learn about climate change (in and outside of school), it is essential that their mental health be supported and that safe spaces for discussion, connection, and emotional expression are created.

Presentation by Maggi Stefania, McKenna Corvello, and Cerine Benomar (she/her)

Background. Pro-environmental behaviours (PEB) can be generally defined as actions that aim to protect ecosystems and natural resources. Driven by the climate crisis, PEB research has rapidly grown since the 1980s, expanding current understanding of barriers and facilitators from various disciplinary standpoints.

Outside theoretical circles, the narrow focus on individuals' PEB has been criticized on several grounds. Primarily, it has been argued that climate change cannot be resolved with face-value individual PEB, such as, for example, recycling or turning off lights. Rather, PEB can make a difference if they are part of more comprehensive coordinate actions of groups of individuals and communities. As such, we have come to understand that behaviours associated with engagement in climate action must be part of a deeper and more meaningful connection with the issue to make a profound impact. To further advance research on this topic, we conducted an empirical study where we examined how deeply engaged a sample of 886 Canadian university students were with their climate action and associated mental health outcomes.

We hypothesized that engagement with climate action can be mapped on a continuum from tokenistic (e.g., recycling, turning off lights) to transformative (e.g., nature connection, activism), and young people engaging in transformative actions, are less likely to experience adverse mental health outcomes, compared to young people enacting face-value PEB.

Methods. To test this hypothesis, first we run an exploratory factor analysis on a wide range items to extrapolate a continuum of climate change engagement. Then we conduct a path analysis to examine the precursors of tokenistic and transformative engagement and determine associations with adverse mental health outcomes (e.g., depression and anxiety).

Results/Conclusion. Preliminary results show that in sample of Canadian university students, transformative engagement is associated with greater psychological well-being than tokenistic engagement.

Presentation by Judy Wu, MPH

Background
Eco-anxiety describes heightened anxiety and fear related to the threat of global environmental disaster. As the climate emergency grows in urgency, eco-anxiety could precipitate new psychological conditions and worsen existing mental illnesses. This is of particular concern among youth, who are likely to experience repeated stressors related to the climate crisis and are at a time of peak mental health disorder onset. However, certain youth sub-populations may be differentially impacted by climate change. The purpose of this study was to identify demographic factors associated with significant and frequent experiences of eco-anxiety.

Methods
Data was collected through the Youth Development Instrument (YDI), a youth well-being survey that aims to identify resources, opportunities, and practices that contribute to positive youth development. The survey is administered electronically within schools across British Columbia for students aged 15-18. Demographic factors investigated included gender identity, race, LGBTQIA2S+ identity, rural/urban residence, birth in Canada, financial pressure, highest level of parental/guardian education, and mental health condition(s).

Results/Findings
Survey participants included 14,596 students. A total of 13.5% (n = 1516) students were identified to have significant and frequent experiences of eco-anxiety. Adjusting for other demographic factors, these respondents were at increased odds of identifying as LGBTQIA2S+ (OR: 1.26 [1.07, 1.48]), and experiencing medium (OR: 2.07 [1.67, 2.42]) or high (OR: 2.61 [2.22, 3.07]) levels of financial pressure. Additionally, this group were also at increased odds of screening positive for generalized anxiety (OR: 2.40 [2.02, 2.85]) and depression (OR: 2.53 [2.13, 3.01]), as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder – 2 and Patient Health Questionnaire – 8.

Conclusion
A large number of BC youth are experiencing climate change- and environment-related mental health effects. Developing resources to help youth cope with increasing climate change and environmental stressors is a pressing priority as the climate and environmental emergencies grow in urgency.