Eco-anxiety, a term used to describe the fear or worry about environmental issues like climate change, has grown significantly in France over the past two years. According to a study by Obseca, the first French observatory on eco-anxiety, the number of people experiencing high levels of eco-anxiety increased by 20% between 2024 and 2026. In 2026, 15.1 million French people were classified as having severe eco-anxiety, compared to 12.5 million in 2024. This rise indicates a growing concern about environmental challenges across the country. The study also found that regional differences in eco-anxiety levels have disappeared by 2026. In 2024, people living in the Paris region had notably higher levels of eco-anxiety than those in the Northeast and Southwest. Additionally, while gender differences in overall eco-anxiety scores have balanced out, men still make up a larger share of the most severe cases. For instance, 54% of individuals who are "very strongly eco-anxious" and 70% of those at "psychological risk" due to eco-anxiety are men. Young people are the most affected group, with individuals aged 15 to 24 showing significantly higher levels of eco-anxiety than those aged 35 to 64. The study also found that eco-anxiety affects all socioeconomic groups, though senior managers are the most affected, with 31% of them classified as "strongly" or "very strongly" eco-anxious. In contrast, retirees were the least affected, with no cases of "strongly" or "very strongly" eco-anxious individuals in the sample. Pierre-Eric Sutter, a psychologist and founder of the Eco-anxiety Observatory, explained that eco-anxiety is a legitimate response to environmental concerns and cannot be simply dismissed or resolved by focusing solely on climate change. He emphasized that there is no typical profile for someone experiencing eco-anxiety and that no one is immune to it. According to Ademe, the French agency for ecological transition, individuals with eco-anxiety are "eco-sighted," meaning they are aware of future environmental risks and the steps they can take to build resilience against them. The study was conducted using a quota-based survey by Bilendi for Obseca, targeting individuals aged 15 to 64. The survey was carried out during the summer of 2024 (with 998 participants, collected outside of a heatwave) and during the peak of a heatwave in July 2026 (with 1,019 participants). This methodology aimed to capture a representative sample of the French population, with results extrapolated to cover an estimated 42 million people.