Eco-anxiety and Noosa Tree Planting Study

While the literature has described the symptoms of eco-anxiety and responses as adaptive and maladaptive, there have been limited empirical studies into the relationship between eco-anxiety and pro-environmental behaviour nor the effect of specific interventions/programs on people’s level of eco-anxiety. This proposed study will investigate the general relationship between eco-anxiety and pro-environmental behaviour through an Australia – wide survey. It will consider the drivers of pro-environmental behaviour as identified by relevant theories, including values and beliefs and their relationship with levels of eco-anxiety. The study will then investigate the relationship between a specific pro-environmental behaviour intervention (namely tree planting to offset vehicle emissions) and the level of eco-anxiety in a group of participants aged16 years and over within the Noosa Shire (Queensland, Australia). This second part of the study comprises a pre and post survey of participants undertaking an intervention namely a tree planting program. These results will be compared to the survey results of a wait -list control group that do not participate in the intervention. Selected participants in the tree planting program will undertake interviews. Qualitative thematic analysis of the interview data will provide an in-depth understanding of the level of eco-anxiety across the participants and, the impact of the tree-planting program. The study will utilise mixed methods underpinned by a pragmatist worldview to understand the participants’ experience of eco-anxiety and pro-environmental behaviour. The study will comprise several data collection points, commencing with a quantitative Australia wide survey, to understand the general level of eco-anxiety across Australia and the propensity to participate in pro-environmental behaviour.

尽管已有文献将生态焦虑（eco-anxiety）的症状及其应对方式划分为适应性与非适应性两类，但针对生态焦虑与亲环境行为（pro-environmental behaviour）之间的关联，以及特定干预措施/项目对个体生态焦虑水平的影响，现有实证研究仍较为匮乏。本研究拟通过全澳范围的问卷调查，探究生态焦虑与亲环境行为之间的普遍关联。本研究将结合相关理论（涵盖价值观与信念维度），梳理亲环境行为的驱动因素，并分析其与生态焦虑水平之间的关联。随后，本研究将针对澳大利亚昆士兰州努沙郡（Noosa Shire）内16岁及以上的受试群体，探究一项特定亲环境行为干预措施——即通过植树抵消机动车碳排放——与受试群体生态焦虑水平之间的关联。本研究的第二部分将针对参与植树项目干预的受试群体开展前后测问卷调查，并将其结果与未参与干预的等候名单对照组的问卷调查结果进行对比分析。植树项目中的部分受试参与者将接受访谈，通过对访谈数据的质性主题分析，可深入洞悉受试群体的生态焦虑水平，以及植树项目所产生的影响。本研究将采用以实用主义世界观为支撑的混合研究方法，以深入理解受试群体的生态焦虑体验与亲环境行为表现。本研究包含多个数据采集节点，首先将开展全澳范围的量化问卷调查，以掌握澳大利亚全国范围内的生态焦虑整体水平，以及个体参与亲环境行为的倾向。