Environmental emotions and wellbeing research in Africa: A rapid review

Environmental change is a physical and psychosocial stressor that generates varied emotional responses with implications for mental health and wellbeing. Existing reviews on environmental change, emotions and mental health are heavily dominated by studies from high-income settings and rarely examine how emotional responses are conceptualised in African contexts. Here, we synthesise evidence linking environmental emotions with wellbeing in Africa and critically examine the theoretical foundations of the existing literature. Sixty-three studies were reviewed. Findings indicate that negative emotions dominate the literature, particularly anxiety and fear. These emotions are consistently associated with adverse mental health outcomes, including depression, psychological distress, post-traumatic stress, suicidality, and functional impairments. Some studies captured culturally specific expressions of distress, such as kutekateka munonga (excessive thinking) and kuliblikia (water related worry/unease). Other studies document positive emotions: hope, optimism, pride, gratitude, and resilience, that support adaptive capacity, collective coping, and dignity in the face of environmental change. Theoretical frameworks were predominantly drawn from psychology, anthropology, geography, and political ecology, with most studies adopting Western-origin theories without explicit adaptation to African contexts. Indigenous methodologies and frameworks were largely absent. Environmental emotions research in Africa reveals the psychological burdens and the resilience of communities experiencing ecological stress, even though there are significant methodological and theoretical gaps. We therefore emphasise the need for culturally grounded and Indigenous methodologies and for systematic adaptation and validation of theories and measures to better capture the lived realities of African communities experiencing ecological change.