More and more jurisdictions around the world are granting legal rights to nature. Rivers, forests, and ecosystems are increasingly being recognized as rights-bearing entities.

But: does this legal recognition actually translate into healthier ecosystems?

In our new paper, published in Challenges, we explore this question from a planetary health perspective, viewing ecosystem health as embedded within the health of the Earth system as a whole.

An overview of my publications and a link to my Ph.D. dissertation.

The recent wildfire in Belgium’s Hoge Venen severely affected a landscape to which many people feel deeply connected. For De Standaard, I contributed a research perspective on solastalgia and ecological grief; concepts describing experiences of distress, grief and loss associated with environmental change.

Publication alert:

• Latent profile analysis revealed six climate distress–denial subgroups in Dutch young adults
• Distress and denial coexisted in half the sample despite low average distress levels
• High-distress profiles showed more hope and proactive coping behaviors
• Denial-heavy profiles linked to fatalism, lower institutional trust, and limited action
• Study moves beyond activist–denier framing in public discourse, showing nuanced psychological responses

What can we learn when different perspectives and ways of knowing are brought into conversation? What do Circumpolar Indigenous Sámi and Dutch young adults teach us about the interconnection between environmental change and mental wellbeing? And how can we better support young people as they face the realities of climate change?

Thank you, Maastricht University - Faculty of Science and Engineering for this interview about my Ph.D. research. My dissertation “Navigating the Storm: Towards Coexisting Ways of Knowing in Approaching Environmental Distress” will be defended on March 27, 2026!

Read the full interview here.

Just published in IJERPH MDPI: New paper @Ph.D research Maastricht University. Together with Bertus Jeronimus, University of Groningen.

We explored Dutch young people’s (16-35; nationally representative sample, N=1,006) emotional responses to climate change, their perceived emotional and psychological needs arising from these experiences, and the barriers they encounter in engaging in pro-environmental behaviour.

Many participants reported worry and sadness, and about one third experienced feelings of powerlessness. At the same time, nearly half still expressed hope for the future and clearly articulated what they need: meaningful action, supportive structures, and motivating, constructive narratives.

Our findings highlight that climate-related emotions are not merely individual concerns, but a public health issue that calls for a multi-level public health response. Addressing emotional needs alongside structural barriers to sustainable action may strengthen young adults’ wellbeing and sense of agency, while supporting sustained engagement with climate solutions.

🌍 Bridging ways of knowing in Planetary Health
At this year’s Planetary Health Annual Meeting, the theme “for all and in all” calls for truly inclusive approaches to health and sustainability.

Current practices in Planetary Health still lean strongly on Western frameworks. To build the urgency, agency, and resilience needed for real systems change, we must give equal value to diverse ways of knowing.

My Ph.D. research, guided by the principle of Two-Eyed Seeing, explores how Indigenous and Western worldviews can coexist and inform one another in approaching environmental distress. I was able to share these ideas through a poster contribution at #PHAM2025.

Our natural environment is changing rapidly—and young people feel it deeply. Growing awareness of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation is taking a toll on the mental wellbeing of adolescents and young adults. In this study, we explored how these concerns manifest as environmental distress and solastalgia among Dutch young adults aged 16 to 35.

Using an adapted version of the Environmental Distress Scale (EDS), we surveyed a representative sample of 1006 participants across the Netherlands. While most previous research on solastalgia has focused on older populations in areas directly affected by resource extraction or environmental disasters, our study offers a first look into how young people in a Western, urban context are mentally affected by environmental change. We also investigated whether factors such as place attachment, perceived control, trust, and personality traits (BFI-10) play a role in how intensely this distress is experienced.

Published in EcoHealth, this study highlights the urgent need for a deeper understanding of how environmental degradation impacts mental health. It calls for closer collaboration between researchers, mental health professionals, and environmental advocates to develop strategies that enhance mental resilience, build environmental awareness, and empower young people to engage meaningfully with the future of our planet.