Research on the negative impacts of climate change on humans has focused more on adults than children. Yet, children and youth are more susceptible to its effects due to their greater vulnerability in a number of areas, including (a) immature physiological defense systems, (b) more direct interactions with the natural environment, (c) dependency on adults, and (d) and an accumulation of risks and insults over their lifetimes. This paper addresses ways in which climate change “poses an urgent threat to future generations” and issues a call for “urgent action on both mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts.”
The impact of climate change on children and youth can be direct or indirect, immediate or delayed, and relate to both physical and mental health. While the physical health impacts of climate events are more visible, the psychological and mental health impacts “can be equally devastating.” The needs of children and youth as related to climate change vary according to context, with children and youth in the developing world (low- and middle-income countries) being at greater risk for having direct experiences of climate change impacts. The mental health impacts of direct experiences include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, sleep problems, cognitive deficits, and learning problems. Children exposed to extreme weather events may also experience distress, grief, and anger. For some children, this can include loss of identity and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Behavioral outcomes include higher rates of suicide and increased aggression and violence. Children and youth in the developed world (higher-income countries) tend to experience climate change vicariously – that is, they learn about it through school, their families, and/or the media. Their responses to climate change include “worry, fear, sadness, anger, and a sense of powerlessness about its impact on their lives.”
It's generally understood that interventions to help children deal with the impacts of climate change need to involve active engagement, promote agency, and focus on building resiliency and hope. While many programs aim to encourage and support the involvement of children and youth in pro-environment activities, many do not include a research or evaluation component.
While the research on the effectiveness of interventions addressing the impact of climate change on children and youth is “almost nonexistent," one place-based stewardship program with an eco-justice focus did include an evaluation component. Results showed that participating children and youth working on local environmental projects “developed greater awareness and appreciation of the natural world and the value of collective action.” Other children and youth who have taken the initiative to become climate change activists indicate that active engagement for the environment helped them “manage their anxiety about the future and channel it into determination, courage, and optimism.”
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