How Climate Emotions Relate to Well‑Being: The Protective Role of Private Pro‑Environmental Behaviour

Pro-environmental behaviour is often linked to higher subjective well-being, yet these associations differ markedly between private and activist forms of such engagement. Climate-related emotions may help explain this discrepancy: negative emotions can motivate pro-environmental behaviour, while simultaneously relating to lower well-being, creating conditions under which emotional processes may obscure positive links between pro-environmental behaviour and well-being. Therefore, we examined how five climate-related emotions (anxiety, anger, sorrow, guilt, and hope) relate to private and activist pro-environmental behaviour and to emotional, social, and psychological well-being. An online survey was conducted on a Czech representative quota sample (n = 500) and data was analysed using path analysis. Climate sorrow, anxiety, and hope were positively associated with private pro-environmental behaviour, while guilt was linked to activist pro-environmental behaviour. Furthermore, private pro-environmental behaviour showed consistent positive associations with all dimensions of well-being, whereas activist pro-environmental behaviour did not. The analysis of indirect associations suggested that private pro-environmental behaviour may represent a pathway through which individuals cope with difficult climate emotions, namely anxiety and sorrow, while maintaining well-being. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for climate emotions in research on pro-environmental engagement and the role of private pro-environmental behaviour in ensuring the positive impact of climate emotions on general well-being.