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Regional differences and influencing factors in climate anxiety among 16-30 year olds in Hungary

Published:
2026-03-18
DOI Linkhttps://doi.org/10.30716/RSZ/25/2/2
Authors
Lili Mirella Pintye,
Andrea Karcagi-Kováts
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pdf (Hungarian)
Keywords
climate anxiety regional differences young people Hungary sustainability
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Copyright (c) 2025 Lili Mirella Pintye, Andrea Karcagi-Kováts

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How To Cite
Selected Style: APA
Pintye, L. M., & Karcagi-Kováts, A. (2026). Regional differences and influencing factors in climate anxiety among 16-30 year olds in Hungary. Régiókutatás Szemle, 10-22. https://doi.org/10.30716/RSZ/25/2/2
Received 2025-08-27
Accepted 2026-03-18
Published 2026-03-18
Abstract

Anxiety caused by climate change (climate anxiety) increase the attention among younger generations. However, regional differences in this phenomenon and analysis of its triggering factors in a domestic context are still lacking. The aim of this research is to examine the extent of climate anxiety among 16-30 year-olds in Hungary, focusing on regional differences (Northern Great Plain, Northern Hungary, Pest (Central Hungary), Western Transdanubia) and the role of the social environment. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 2023 with 302 participants and in 2025 with 190 participants. Our results showed significant regional differences in the extent of climate anxiety, with the highest values observed in the Pest (Central Hungary) region. The social environment's attitude towards climate change was closely related to climate anxiety, while demographic factors (age) proved to be less decisive. The research highlights the importance of social norms, the immediate environment, and regional location in the development of climate anxiety, which can be addressed through targeted interventions and increased social awareness.

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