Unpacking the Role of Stress, Trust, and Hope in Environmental Crises

Sophie Bhalla, MG360 Groundwater Research Institute (Canada)

Environmental crises can trigger both cooperation and conflict, yet the drivers that determine these divergent outcomes remain poorly understood. This presentation unpacks the social, psychological, and historical factors that shape collective action under conditions of environmental conflict, drawing on empirical research on groundwater scarcity in farming communities. The findings show how resource decline interacts with trust, local norms, leadership, and institutional histories to influence whether cooperation emerges or breaks down. Research from social psychology shows that excessive stress harms the capacity of decision-making of individuals. If stress baselines are different for different people based on individual vulnerabilities (Zubin and Spring, 1977), what factors influence collective action outcomes during stress/crisis? A historical lens is essential for understanding present-day conflict and cooperation. The presentation further examines the role of hope in enabling collective action, e.g. under what conditions individuals can construct shared future goals in low-hope environments. The analysis highlights how trauma-sensitive mediation can help overcome barriers to cooperation in environmental peacebuilding contexts.