The Climate Emotions Wheel and Polycrisis Emotions: A Discussion with Special Emphasis on Religion and Science

The troubled state of the world evokes many kinds of emotion. In this article, climate change-related emotions are discussed with the help of the Climate Emotions Wheel, a popular visualization published in 2023. Climate emotions are set in relation to “polycrisis emotions,” and impacts of the polycrisis for climate emotions are explored. Special attention is given to how science and religion interact with (climate) emotions, both on their own and in interaction with each other. Climate scientists are used as a case example. Various dynamics of climate emotions are discussed, such as emotion norms and emotional complexity, and observations are made about their relationship with religion, science, and the polycrisis. Climate emotions are connected with issues related to wellbeing, environmental action, and ethics, and they are of interest to a wide range of people, including advocates, philosophers, health workers, scientists, and religious leaders. This interdisciplinary article aims to support in-depth engagement with climate and polycrisis emotions in various fields.