Climate Change and Emotions: A Comparative Study across Affected and Non-Affected Provinces in Iran

Objective: This study aims to compare climate-related emotions in provinces with higher and lower climate change impacts. Methods and Materials: The statistical population included residents from 10 provinces (5 with higher and 5 with lower climate change impacts) in 2024. A total of 1,379 valid questionnaires were collected using the climate change emotions questionnaire (Marczak, Wierzba, Zaremba & et al., 2023). Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics, including Student's t-test. Findings: Significant differences were found in the emotional responses of anger, passion, anxiety, and sorrow between the provinces with higher and lower climate change impacts (p<0.001). In other words, people in provinces with lower climate change impacts reported higher emotional scores. Conclusion: The findings suggest that emotional responses to climate change are more pronounced in provinces with lower climate change impacts. This underscores the mental health implications of climate change and the need for targeted interventions in different regions.