how youth can help fight climate change essay

How Youth Can Help Fight Climate Change

Climate Change is one of the most pressing global issues in our world today. Almost every country in the world has issued their own environmental laws in order to minimize the effects of climate change and a lot of ads, slogans, posters and campaigns against climate change have been launched by concerned environmental organizations and government institutions in order to raise awareness to the public of how we could help stop this global crisis. But it's sad that out of billions of people in the world, only few have responded to the call.

When a climate change occurs, temperature drastically increases which may lead to different changes in the Earth. It can result to floods, droughts, intense rain, more frequent and severe heat waves and melting of ice glaciers which results in the sudden rise of Earth's water volume in seas and oceans. Some major factors which cause climate change are burning or combustion of fossil fuel to produce energy which can be found in fueled vehicles and some factories. Smoking activities such as burning which emit a lot of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which results in greenhouse formation. Deforestation, Pollution and other illegal activities of man are also contributing factors. 

Now the questions I would raise, if climate change can't be stopped, could Earth still be able to sustain life? What will happen to the next generation to come? The answer to these questions now lies in our hands. Most especially the youth. Why us? Why we should be involved? It is because the youths of today are the future and the people of tomorrow. It's the youths of today that will serve as the foundation for the next generation to come. 

So how can Youths help stop climate change? Some youths are not rich to sponsor various environmental programs or projects. Some are not influential people who could invite many people. Some are just ordinary students. But keep in mind that all of these notions are not required in order to help fight climate change.

Youths can help stop climate change in their own simple yet purposeful ways. Such as: joining environmental organizations or groups; participating in various governmental, non-governmental, school or community programs and projects against climate change; joining clean-up drives at school or in community; participating in tree planting and go-green activities; garbage picking and recycling initiatives; getting involved in environmental protests and campaigns; using social media like facebook, twitter or instagram in promoting climate change and environmental awareness to the public; limiting the use of plastics; helping report illegal activities to authorities; walking or biking in short distances instead of riding fueled vehicles; segregating garbage at home and lastly, encouraging our friends, schoolmates and our family to do what we are doing.

Doing those things can help mitigate climate change. Today, we should realize that we have a moral responsibility towards our environment and our planet. Stopping climate change is not easy. But if we work together as one, our micro-efforts will have a macro effect on our environment and our planet. The survival of every living being on Earth depends on how we handle our environment. We humans are the highest form of being in this planet, so we are to blame if things go wrong in our planet. To me and to all the youths around the world, let us act now. Let us be involved in this fight. As a young generation, let us help the former generation in shaping our environment. Our voice matters and our life matters. So what are we waiting for? Let us stand together in stopping climate change.

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You asked: What can I do as a teenager to stop climate change?

This month’s climate curious explores the topic of youth empowerment — and explains why seemingly small individual actions can lead to systemic change..

Taking climate action can be difficult at any age, but especially so for young people. While research has shown that youths are anxious about the warming planet, they can also feel powerless to act on it.

“What can I do as a teenager who isn’t allowed to go outside my house, to stop climate change?” asked one Washington Post reader in our question form , encapsulating the disconnect.

UNICEF estimates that there are 1.2 billion people between the ages of 10 and 19; roughly one-sixth of the global population. A recent study found that today’s kids will live through three times as many climate disasters as their grandparents. And when world leaders gather again for the COP26 climate change summit next month in Scotland, a day’s theme is dedicated to “youth and public empowerment.”

What questions do you have about climate change or extreme weather? Ask The Post.

“Younger people are growing into a world that is clearly changing around them. And they’re worried,” said Robin Webster, who leads the advocacy communication program at the nonprofit Climate Outreach. For teens looking to take action, she suggests they consider “thinking what are your passions? What do you feel like doing? And finding communities of people who are doing that as well.”

Entry points are infinite, says Webster. Do you like to garden? Consider starting a plot in your community garden . How about art? Create sculptures made from recycled materials. If you live far from school, you could organize a car pool, or if you live near water, you could organize a beach cleanup .

NASA has a whole section of its website dedicated to helping kids engage with climate change. “Turn off lights, TVs, computers, when you do not need them,” it reads . Maybe walk or bike to school instead of driving. Or, “turn down the thermostat on the heating when it’s cold. Sweaters, blankets, and socks are good for you and better for the planet.”

Previous Climate Curious columns also have explored numerous topics — ranging from how to save water to the impact of cutting back on food waste — that can be applicable to anyone, regardless of age.

Activists ‘born into the climate crisis’ face another challenge: Fear of the future

“Using less of everything is just key … What’s the thing that interests you?” said Joe Cox, President of the Museum of Discovery and Science in Florida. In addition to climate-focused exhibits, the museum holds climate summits, runs internship programs and engages youth in myriad environment-related activities. “What we’re really try to do is show that there are solutions.”

Of course, individual actions alone won’t curb climate change without broader shifts at the governmental and societal levels as well. But Webster says, “we found that people doing something, even if it’s a small thing, felt much more empowered to talk about it.” That, in turn, can lead to scaled impacts.

Mayana Torres, 21, is the outreach coordinator for the sustainability nonprofit Sustain US. But when she first learned about climate change while learning earth studies in her junior year of high school, she was among those that “didn’t think there would be anything I could engage in.”

Eventually plastic consumption caught her attention, and she decided that reducing waste would be a good place to start. Soon after, she began reevaluating the growth of her wardrobe and the fast-fashion consumption it entailed. Next, she attended the 2017 People’s Climate March in Washington, D.C.

How to start tackling your home’s water — and climate — footprint

“I was completely blown away,” said Torres, who had begged her grandmother to take her by train. The trip spurred a continued stream of action from her, including becoming a delegate to the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit.

Torres says her actions have also helped to get others involved, explaining that when she started culling her wardrobe for the climate, some of her friends followed suit. Webster says that those kinds of conversations — with parents, grandparents and peers — are a critically important benefit to individual climate action. She points to the momentum that groups like “Fridays for Future” have built.

It’s a scary time to be growing up. Teens and parents are bonding over that.

That movement started in 2018, when a then-15-year-old Greta Thunberg would sit outside the Swedish parliament each Friday, with a handmade sign that read: “Skolstrejk for Klimatet,” or “school strike for climate.” Fridays for Future has since become an archetype of teen climate action, drawing millions of supporters around the globe.

Torres says that individual actions are steps in the path to systemic change — and they’re important reminders of the primary reason teens aren’t powerless.

“Remember that there are people beside you,” she said. “You’re not alone.”

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How young people can make effective change in the climate crisis, according to experts

The consequences of a century of global warming is on their shoulders.

The fate of the world is in their hands.

The youngest generations may feel that they have the smallest ability to impact the devastating effects of climate change at the moment but also shoulder the burden of its future effects.

This responsibility -- along with the prospect of living under a looming humanitarian crisis -- sparked by rising sea levels and extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change -- has caused widespread psychological distress among young people.

Many say they don't trust their leaders to make the right decisions for them and the planet. They are frustrated with older generations for putting them in this position and they are scared about the future of the planet -- about what living conditions will look like decades from now.

But it has also sparked a camaraderie among young people, who are using their collective voices and actions to become the most vocal generation to fight for the planet in recorded history.

"The climate emergency is already here," 19-year-old Jeeva Senthilnathan, an engineering student at the Colorado School of Mines, told ABC News. "We're seeing the entire climate emergency in front of our eyes."

Older generations have a responsibility to foster and encourage young people's goals to conserve the planet as well, Lise Van Susteren, a general and forensic psychiatrist who has researched how climate change has affected the psychological health of young people, told ABC News.

"We have to listen," Van Susteren said. "They recognize that the cumulative toll of climate change is on their shoulders."

These are the things young people can do to get ahead of climate change:

Make your voice heard

One of the biggest assets young people have in the climate fight is the ability to make themselves be heard on a global scale.

Ever since Swedish teen Greta Thunberg inspired millions of teens to skip school to demonstrate for climate change in 2018, the world's media has been paying attention to youth climate strikes.

The protests, filled with passionate young people, and often led by Thunberg, now 19. They have captured the attention of the world's media, reverberating with the anger and angst the young attendees feel about the future.

Young people, especially teens, are experts at arguing with their parents, Van Susteren said, adding that, when it comes to the climate crisis, that catharsis is "absolutely critical."

"Don't hold it in," she said. "If it's churning inside you, let it out. Talk about it. Don't stop talking about it."

MORE: COP26: These are the young activists taking the fight against global warming by storm

Students, who are dealing with other overlapping crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustice, are pushing to bring those topics into the classroom.

Senthilnathan, who has not only led climate strikes but has also met with local legislators to discuss policy, said more of those type of interactions will move the needle on awareness.

"When they work together and put their voices together, it has much more impact," Van Susteren said. "Make as much noise as you can."

But beware of the "false dichotomy" between collective action and individual action, Morgan Edwards, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a leader of the university's Climate Action Lab told ABC News, adding that reducing personal emissions or shaming others' lifestyles is not fulfilling or effective.

"There's no price of admission to the climate movement," she said. "Trying to think just about how you can reduce your personal emissions can feel really lonely, whereas, being part of something bigger, finding a community to take action together with -- I think that's a much more empowering way to think about climate change centers the conversation around those who are responsible for the crisis, which isn't you as an individual."

Participate in local politics

As young people grow to voting age, it will be important for them to use that power to spark change.

And if they believe that none of the candidates are up to the task, young people can run for office themselves.

Senthilnathan has already run for city council in her town in Parker, Colorado. Although she was not elected she encourages her peers to continue to fight for those positions of power.

"Election after election after election, we're still seeing the fact that the climate emergency isn't really being addressed," she said. "Running for like a city council position is a great place where they can like input those policies."

One of Senthilnathan's goals is to become an adviser to the White House on science and technology committee, she said, adding that it will be important for people her age to not let older generations tell them they are too young to lead.

"As youth, we barely have any resources to run for office," she said. "I hope people are paying attention to the youth who are trying to make a change."

MORE: Young people experiencing 'widespread' psychological distress over government handling of looming climate crisis, researchers say

Apply your interests to the climate fight.

Young people do not need to dedicate their entire lives to climate activism to make a big difference in protecting the environment, the experts said.

"The best way to take climate action is to think about the thing that you already love to do," Edwards said. "So if you're, if you're an artist, you can make art about the climate crisis. If you're a writer, you can tell stories."

While studying for her engineering degree, Senthilnathan learned that about 40% to 50% of pollution comes from construction engineering. This is something she hopes to address in future policy, she said.

"I think, whatever you're interested in, climate intersects with that," Edwards said. "Bringing conversation into the things that you already love, I think, is the most one of the most sustainable ways to take action."

For college students who feel like they can't get involved in the climate crisis because their major has nothing to do with the environment, Senthilnathan said there are ways to apply every course of study to the climate fight. For instance, people with a focus on business administration or property management can apply their studies to finding ways to construct and maintain buildings with more sustainable materials and less toxic waste, she said.

"I think we need so many more perspectives coming into the climate crisis, and to really be thinking about how it interacts with all of these different fields," Edwards said. "So it's not just a science or policy or an engineering problems."

Living with fear of the future

Senthilnathan got a front row seat to the climate emergency after multiple wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes near Boulder, Colorado, just weeks ago.

Winds that help spread the fires rapidly were so high that they broke her window, Senthilnathan said, describing that week as "terrifying" and "emotional." There was dust and debris all over Jefferson County, where Senthilnathan lives, and because her father had contracted COVID-19, she had no where to escape to.

Activism is the only way she knows how to take control of her destiny, rather than live in fear, she said.

It will also important for young people to find like-minded peers to discuss ideas over, Van Susteren said. It's easy to feel like an outcast or "the weird one" when you're young, especially when older people keep telling you you're too young to know anything.

In the past, kids who found that their concerns about the climate were not taken seriously felt like outsiders, Van Susteren said.

MORE: Thousands of young activists challenging lawmakers to act in Global Climate Strike

"Kids find that when they talk to each other, they feel a sense of camaraderie," she said. " This is critical, because it makes them feel like they're not weird," Van Susteren said.

Van Susteren also advised young people to find a mentor who does not write off their concerns.

"They want their teachers and administrators to provide the space and the time for them to talk about their fear, and they want their school districts to create the curricula that enable them to speak intelligently about climate," Van Susteren said. "And also to show that the adults who are involved in education, understand what it is that they are going to need to know."

Related Topics

• Climate Change

• Get involved

Tapping into the power of young people for climate action

August 12, 2022.

Ulrika Modéer

UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy, UNDP

Veronica Winja Otieno

African Young Women in Leadership Fellow & Strategy Analyst, UNDP

Today, our world is 1.1°C warmer than it was in the pre-industrial era, and failure to act urgently could possibly result in increases of 1.5°C-2°C between 2026 and 2042 . Climate change poses a serious risk to the fundamental rights of people of every age. Extreme weather such as droughts, floods and heatwaves, and their effects of food and water insecurity, livelihood losses, famines, and wildfires exacerbate inequalities and disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, among them young people and children.

UNDP’s Peoples’ Climate Vote , the largest ever survey of public opinion on climate change, revealed that nearly 70 percent of under 18s are most likely to believe climate change is a global emergency. Other studies show that ‘eco-anxiety’ is increasing, particularly amongst the young. A global study of 10,000 youth from 10 countries in 2021 found that over 50 percent of young people felt sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty about climate change, while 45 percent said their feelings negatively affected their daily lives. Countries expressing more worry tended to be poorer, such as those in the south, or those in the north that had been directly affected by climate change.

Young people continue to take on a leading role in influencing, advocating, and demanding for responsible climate behaviour and stronger political will from governments and the private sector. During COP26, young leaders presented a Global Youth Position statement , representing the views of over 40,000 young leaders demanding that their rights be guaranteed in climate change agreements. School strikes for climate have been recorded in over 150 countries, gaining widespread attention from the public and media. Young leaders have raised awareness in their communities, promoted lifestyle changes and concrete solutions, and advocated for the rights of vulnerable groups, including Indigenous people, who are often excluded from decision-making.  

Despite this, young people continue to report ageism is affecting their lives, their employment, political participation, health, and justice. This not only detracts from their wellbeing but it prevents societies from designing inclusive policies and social services that are fair for all ages . This has translated to a growing sense of hopelessness and mistrust towards governments' willingness and ability to tackle the eminent climate challenges amongst youth. 

As we celebrate International Youth Day 2022 , this year’s theme is Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages. Action is needed from all generations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to ensure that no one is left behind. This is particularly important in addressing climate change, which is considered the most significant intergenerational injustice of our time. It is imperative that everybody, and especially the older generations, work with young people to achieve climate justice.

A systemic change to enhance inter-generational solidarity, is urgently required to address and remove inequalities, and to tackle structural barriers to meaningful youth engagement.

At UNDP we strongly believe in the importance of meaningful youth involvement in decision-making, both as a demographic and democratic imperative to address youth rights, needs and aspirations. Our  Aiming higher guidance explores critical ways to achieve this.

It’s important to listen to the voices of young people and to join them in speaking against climate injustice. The voices of young people must be included in the decisions taken now, and steps taken to ensure that they can hold governments accountable. As it stands, and rightfully so, all renowned climate change activists are young people. But it is also important that older generations join in the activism and support responsible climate action. This has the potential to improve trust and enhance effective collaboration.

All youth voices should be given a fair chance. Amongst young people, those from rural areas in the global south are further marginalized and affected disproportionately by the effects of climate injustice, yet unlike their urban counterparts have found little voice. This is due to a number of factors including the digital divide and limited resources, including visa denials, which lock them out of the crucial stages of policy-making. Meaningful collaboration with youth and grassroots organizations provides an opportunity for all voices to be heard.

Education is an important tool. The Peoples’ Climate Vote revealed that the most profound driver of public opinion on climate change was a respondent’s level of education. Policy makers should continue to educate all generations not only on what climate change is and its effects, but even more importantly on protection and mitigation measures. The incorporation of climate smart education from basic to tertiary levels of education will play a key role in creating awareness and integrating climate solutions across all levels of society.

To inspire hope and further encourage young people towards climate action, it is important that progress is highly celebrated. This plays a key role in strengthening young people’s agency and resilience to continue pushing on and not thinking their efforts are futile. There are 1.2 billion young people and their collective input will have an impact both now and in the future. Fortunately, there is good news.

Young people played an important role in the Climate Promise . While young people were largely ignored in earlier Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) now 75 percent of Climate Promise countries prioritize youth in developing their NDCs, primarily through consultations, raising awareness and advocacy campaigns.

The cost of solar and wind power and electric vehicles have come down dramatically. Between 2010 to 2019, solar energy costs decreased 85 percent, wind energy by 55 percent, and lithium-ion batteries by 85 percent.

And in the last decade, climate finance has significantly increased, reaching US$632 billion.

The solidarity, mutual respect, and understanding between the young people of the global north and south on climate action, as well as their advocacy for marginalized groups whose voices are not heard is admirable. This emphasizes the important role that solidarity plays.

Young people have been ignored in climate decisions for far too long and can no longer be seen as merely means to an end. It is their present and their future that’s at stake. Their concerns and their solutions must be at the heart of all decision-making.

Empowering young people presents a historic, transformational, and collective opportunity to advance an inclusive green recovery, accelerate progress on the SDGs and to lay the foundation for a peaceful and sustainable future.

• Advisory Board
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• World Youth Report: Youth and Climate Change

The World Youth Report focus on youth and climate change, and is intended to highlight the important role young people play in addressing climate change, and to offer suggestions on how young people might be more effectively integrated as individuals and collective agents of change within the realm of climate change adaptation and mitigation. The Report is designated to assist youth and youth organizations in educating themselves and to become more actively involved in combating the threat of climate change. It is also meant to affirm the status of young people as key stakeholders in the fight against climate change. The publication comes at a time when efforts to address climate change are receiving unparalleled attention on the international arena, offering youth a unique opportunity for their voice to be heard in the debate.

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How youth activism is moving the needle on climate action

Youth activism and civic engagement is critical to saving the planet. Here’s how – and why – young climate activists are taking charge

By the time Kevin J. Patel was 12 years old, the native Angeleno had already developed severe heart issues due to the area’s historically poor air quality. For the past two decades, Los Angeles has been named the city with the worst ozone pollution , according to the American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” annual report, with locals becoming all too familiar with the thick layer of smog that blankets their surroundings. Patel, who is founder of OneUpAction , an organization helping youth in marginalized communities take climate action, recently turned 20. He’s just one of millions of young people around the world that have been forced to personally experience the devastating and irreversible effects of humanity’s role in climate change.

Eighteen-year old Jonah Gottlieb, co-host of the Our Future Now! podcast and the co-founder of the National Children’s Campaign , can concur. “Being from a frontline community in Northern California that experiences the effects of the climate crisis every fire season, I’ve seen this firsthand,” he says. The National Children’s Campaign is a nonprofit that advocates for US youth and the issues that most affect them, including environment. The unprecedented number of large wildfires raging along the West Coast this season is a grim reminder of the urgency of the climate crisis.

Many young individuals like Patel and Gotttlieb have been galvanized into action. “Young people are uniquely positioned to fight against the climate crisis because we’ll be the ones facing the brunt of its consequences,” says Patel. “We have a sense of urgency as the last generation that can slow the effects of global warming before it’s too late.”

Running out of time: an urgent problem calls for immediate action

Experts believe we only have a decade left to stave off the irreversible damage caused by the climate crisis. This sense of urgency helped spur the largest global demonstration ever in the fight against climate change last year, when millions of people came out in support of youth-organized protests around the globe. “The biggest thing I’ve seen the youth achieve would be unity in our cause,” Patel says. While the impending climate crisis and lack of action taken by policymakers and corporations can be “depressing” to think about, Patel admits, he tries to “find comfort in how many people within this movement have mobilized to bring awareness to the climate crisis”. He continues: “Seeing so many people from all sorts of backgrounds unite and stand in solidarity is amazing.”

Solidarity is necessary – beyond just the pure urgency of the situation, young people have been uniquely affected. “Climate crisis disproportionately harms young people for a myriad of reasons,” says Gottlieb. “Children are much more susceptible to many health issues caused by pollution than adults.” For example, during wildfires – which Gottlieb’s Northern California hometown experiences increasingly frequently – children are more susceptible to adverse health effects, as they breathe faster than adults . “During natural disasters exacerbated by the climate crisis, children’s education is one of the first things impacted,” he adds. Speaking of extreme weather and weather-related events, these increasingly frequent occurrences deal a particularly major blow to developing countries in Asia and Africa – nations that have some of the biggest youth populations.

The climate crisis is also affecting young people on a psychological level, explains Vasser Seydel, deep seabed mining campaign director at The Oxygen Project , an organization dedicated to defending ecosystems that serve as oxygen sources and raising awareness. The nonprofit’s digital materials are resources for young climate activists and eco-aware consumers, helping to catalyze the environmental community around often-underrepresented issues. Seydel, a recent University of Georgia graduate cites increasing rates of depression, anxiety and suicide among young people as evidence that the next generation suffers from “eco-anxiety”. Many are overwhelmed by the idea of “runaway climate change”, referring to when Earth’s atmosphere will contain too much carbon dioxide, sufficient enough to block out any thermal radiation and prevent it from cooling.

“The good news is that there’s an antidote to eco-anxiety and depression, and it’s taking action,” Seydel says. “If you can get yourself to start taking action, you can overcome the paralysis and the overwhelming nature of the climate emergency. At the end of the day, it’s about collective action, so just get started and inspire others along the way to do the same.”

Getting involved

The easiest way to make an impact is by starting at home with your own habits, and working to influence those around you. “This is how we can change behavior and culture to create more regenerative and resilient communities,” Seydel says. “It can be really fun to educate yourself and commit to new habits that are beneficial for the planet. If you’re passionate about the emissions of agriculture, commit to a plant-based diet. If you’re concerned about the fossil fuel industry increasing their number of plants, avoid plastics. If you want to do more, [you can] compost, recycle, plant victory gardens, whatever you can think of.”

You can also get involved at the local level by supporting advocacy groups in your own community. From IIan Zugman, an environmental activist in Brazil fighting off the fossil fuel industry, to 17-year-old Quannah Chasinghorse in Alaska, fighting for the environment and Indigenous people, change-makers around the globe are organizing around issues core to their communities. You can find and support youth-led organizations through social media or via local school districts and community groups. “You hear a lot about the bigger youth movements today but it’s also about people taking grassroots actions and making solutions in their own communities and in their own way,” Seydel says.

As far as spreading the word on a regional, national and global level, the internet and social media are critical tools. “Through new media, we can direct relevant and urgent information to specific and regional audiences around the world,” Seydel says. “The challenge is how to move from simply raising awareness to creating tangible impact.” That impact can only be achieved if we use a “combination of local, state, federal and global action”, Gottlieb says, “and so it is up to all of us to organize in our communities to create a better world”.

And since marginalized and lower-income groups are impacted disproportionately by the climate crisis, it’s critical to make sure all voices are represented. “When we talk about intersectionality with this movement and making sure that all communities are present and included, we’ve done a poor job of this,” Patel says. “This is an issue that’s affecting a lot of people – we need to bring in more people from communities that are directly affected. Climate activism has always been associated with the white middle-class youth and not the youth of color or Indigenous peoples. We don’t want to be tokenized. So it’s very important to talk and find solutions to fixing intersectionality in the climate movement and making sure we include those on the frontlines of this crisis.”

Showing up to the polls

In addition to changing your own habits and supporting environmental organizations, one of the most impactful things you can do in the fight against the climate crisis is to vote for and support candidates that care about preserving a livable planet. A platform that holds big business accountable is a critical part of this. “Voting is so important in the fight for climate change because [individual] humans aren’t exactly the ones leaving the biggest carbon footprint; it’s corporations,” Patel says. “So while it’s great to take sustainable steps in our own lives, it wouldn’t be as effective as being able to work on making industries greener. We need people in office who will pass laws that will ensure a better planet for all of us.”

If you’re not of voting age, Gottlieb suggests connecting with the adults in your life and talking about the issues that are important to you – and adults should initiate these conversations, too. “I have genuinely found that many elementary school and middle school students are more adept at understanding climate science and climate policy than some members of Congress, so adults may be surprised at how much the youth in their lives know,” he says. “If we’re having more of these conversations where we can highlight what young people are fighting for and what their adult allies can do to make a difference on their behalf, our movement will only grow.”

To anyone who might be disillusioned by the political process and not want to cast a vote, Gottlieb says, “Regardless of whether you want to participate in the political process, electoral politics impacts your life and the lives of millions of people around the country. Whether at the local, state or federal level, you can always find someone running for office who is fighting for the same things you are.”

While young people are more than capable and willing to fight for our planet’s future against the very real and immediate threat of climate change, they shouldn’t have to do it alone. “Our movement is strongest when we are working collaboratively with people of all ages,” Gottlieb says. “If every single adult was voting on behalf of their children and voting like they care about their children, young people wouldn’t have to be taking to the streets and devoting our childhoods to saving our planet.”

Image credits: Guardian Labs / Getty Images

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How to address the climate crisis? 5 young people share their solutions

Young people are leading a movement for climate action. Image:  Callum Shaw/Unsplash

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• World leaders are meeting for COP26 to discuss climate action.
• We asked five young people how they would address the multi-faceted nature of the climate crisis.
• Their answers tackle social justice, investment in nature, circular thinking, food systems and more.

As world leaders meet at the Conference of the Parties 26 (COP26) in Glasgow, how are young people addressing the many facets and immensity of this global crisis, and what does the world need young people to do to address climate change?

We asked five young organizers and activists who participated in creating the Youth Climate Action Challenge what they are doing to address the climate crisis and what other young people can do.

The young people featured in this article are driving action and change through their individual work and Hub projects with the Global Shapers Community, a network of activists who are leading initiatives in their communities to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Here are their powerful messages for creating a more equitable and sustainable world.

Support youth-led solutions

Wole Hammond, Abuja Hub, Nigeria

Climate change has been on the front burner of global conversations. As a young person who is passionate about building a sustainable future for my generation and posterity, I am promoting awareness on the subject of climate change and advocating for a just-transition, that leaves no one behind, through multimedia storytelling.

Young people like myself are also taking action to address the climate crisis. Youths in Nigeria mobilized under the National Youth Climate Consultation to provide youth input into the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs). Yetunde Fadeyi is solving environmental and climate problems through renewable energy through REES Africa and Vectar Energy .

As the global race to net-zero is on, government, leaders, corporations and institutions must offer the necessary to assist youth-led solutions to scale climate action across the globe. This is why it is important to have programs such as the Youth Climate Action Challenge to harvest and support innovative ideas to build a green and sustainable world.

Have you read?

Climate talks will fail without more young people's voices, we asked young people what changes they want for the future. here's what they said, young people hold the key to creating a better future, create equitable, sustainable food systems.

Saskia Czimenga, Gaborone Hub, Botswana

The food systems that humanity is relying on today is one of the major causes of land cover change and emission of greenhouse gases. While we already know that this approach has devastating effects on biodiversity, ground water resources and soil nutrition, the effects of the climate crisis will add excessive stress to food security around the world, but especially for the most vulnerable communities.

From my personal experience in Lesotho, a small land-locked mountainous kingdom in southern Africa, I know that people cannot afford to buy food in the supermarkets but have lost their traditional way of subsistence farming through dam projects, urbanization and prolonged and extreme droughts. Through different networks I have learned that young people are demanding different food systems and are already working on developing such themselves. This is exciting.

My partner and I have ventured into permaculture and started a demonstration garden in his home village, and I recently brought together people from African countries to work towards a vision for a sustainable food system for the continent, inspired by the European Youth-led manifesto for better food systems.

Embed climate-positive concepts into production

Lucy Tong, Beijing Hub, China

Millennials are the generation that will witness the success or failure of humanity’s climate change mitigation. We want to be the decision-makers that shape the future we live in.

Climate change is a systematic revolution across all sectors of society, it requires both top-down and bottle-up measures. To ensure a sustainable transformation, one of the keys to success is designing circular – to embed climate-positive, socially-aware concepts into the root of the product.

At the Global Shaper Beijing hub, we want to explore the topic while making local impact. As part of the initiative Scale360°, the Beijing hub will invite local youth to identify tactics for the food industry to go circular through design thinking. Topic will include the prominent delivery services in China, the popular bandage-style packages for food, and the agriculture sector in the value chain. This would join the momentum for the transition to a circular economy in the factory of the world, China, and help the world move into a net-zero future.

Invest in nature at scale

Rafael Alonso, Mexico City Hub, Mexico

Humans have the systems, the knowledge, the technology. Nature has the regenerative capacity. To be of service for mother nature means to use our resources for good.

For the first time ever, we can work together, aligning incentives to really make a difference. Startups can use disruptive technologies such as satellite images, big data and remote sensors. Companies can commit to net zero, or even better, to nature positive production systems. Asset owners and asset managers can choose where to allocate their resources.

To be of service for mother nature means to use our resources for good.

This decade is crucial to green our investments and to invest in green opportunities. Imagine investing in a portfolio that restores vast amounts of grasslands in North America, effectively preventing desertification at scale. Further imagine entire systems changing agricultural practices around Latin America’s rainforests. Platforms such as Cultivo.Land can bring together all the relevant stakeholders to take bold action today. And other innovation efforts, such as the Youth Climate Action Challenge can help scale climate action even further. It’s time for the private sector to participate. Invest in nature today.

Take a circular approach

Hannah Ballard, Montreal Hub, Canada

We are facing a vast array of multidimensional global crises across the climate, social fabric, economy, geopolitical landscape and health systems of the world. Making change isn’t going to be easy, but if we commit to a truly circular approach, we could genuinely build a better, more inclusive system.

Why think circular when you can think doughnut? Kate Raworth’s "Doughtnut Economics" has led to a “Doughtnut Economy Action Lab” where activists can connect, reuse resources and share best practices. Local communities and governments are adopting the doughnut, from Amsterdam to Tokyo. By making the process of taking action more sustainable, activists are better able to sustain their efforts.

Just like a circle, connecting stakeholders enables transformative change. Citizens across the world want alternatives, and innovators are stepping up to meet their demands. In Southeast Asia, The Incubation Network runs initiatives to empower entrepreneurs to tackle plastic waste in their communities. In Canada, Kids Code Jeunesse launched the #kids2030 Challenge to educate the world’s youngest stakeholders about the climate crisis. Not content with learning, these young people are exploring their own solutions to address the problem.

By closing the circle to better utilize our resources and energy reserves, young activists have the potential to accelerate us into a better, more sustainable future. But to get there, they need support.

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Perspectives

Empowering Youth Changemakers for Climate Action

November 24, 2019

In recent years, the science has become increasingly clear: the future of our planet depends on the choices we make in the next decade. With this in mind, it is likely no coincidence that some of the most recognizable faces of today’s environmental movement have unlikely CVs—that is, if they have even launched their professional careers.

Indeed, young people are leading climate action around the world. In fact, many are already driving tangible change by recycling, reducing their consumption, supporting reforestation and demanding environmental responsibility from companies and governments.

Their voices have been instrumental in raising awareness of the need for change, and inspiring greater ambition worldwide. Recognizing the importance of empowering these young leaders, the Biennial of the Americas and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) launched the Youth Congress for Sustainable Americas (YC) .

The initiative began in 2017 with 30 young leaders from 10 countries—from Canada to Argentina—united by their determination to generate change for a sustainable planet. In just two years, the youth network has grown to include 85 delegates in 15 countries. With the goal of forming a strong network capable of driving environmental action in the region, YC delegates are spurring changes in their own communities by addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges, such as deforestation, water pollution and waste management.

“Our vision is a world where present and future generations participate actively in environmental conservation and restoration to mitigate climate change,” said Dante Ruiz, an economist and environmentalist by trade, and delegate of the YC in Mexico. “Our mission is to become an influential network of diverse changemakers, united by our passion for sustainability to lead transformative actions across the Americas." 

While the delegates represent a wide range of expertise and approaches—including environmental law, reforestation, water management, corporate sustainability, environmental education and community development—they were all selected for their commitment, leadership and activism in the sustainability field.

“For me, sustainability means using resources mindfully, without jeopardizing their availability for future generations,” said Bambou Pittaluga, who leads the NGO Faro Limpio on the beaches of San Ignacio, Uruguay. “Through my work with Faro Limpio, we are improving waste management, cleaning beaches and public spaces, recycling and also engaging the public and private sector in these efforts."

Elise Riquier, a master’s student in an environmental policy program at the University of Denver, Colorado, USA, is promoting sustainability through a new business venture. “About five years ago, three friends and I started an event planning company with the goal of reducing plastic consumption,” said Riquier. “All our events use only edible tableware, glass or reusable cutlery. We have reduced food waste by 20 percent and implemented a program to donate excess food.”

In May and June of this year, the delegates launched a social media awareness campaign called #TheValueOfNature in five Latin American cities— Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Mexico City, Lima and São Paulo—to highlight the role of nature as a climate solution. Around 300 people participated, generating more than 1,000 social media posts with the campaign hashtag in three languages—Spanish, Portuguese and English.

According to a study by TNC scientists and partner organizations, nature can be one of our greatest allies in tackling climate change. Nature-based solutions—such as conserving and restoring forests—can help us achieve more than a third of the emission reductions needed by 2030. But despite being able to deliver over 30 percent of the climate solution, nature makes up less than one percent of the conversation, and receives less than four percent of climate financing.

Quote : Dante Ruiz

Our mission is to become an influential network of diverse changemakers, united by our passion for sustainability to lead transformative action in the Americas.

While emphasizing the role of nature as a climate solution, the YC delegates have also demonstrated a formidable entrepreneurial spirit. Jorge Bellsola Ferrer, an agronomist and founder of the Argentine company Seamos un Árbol, is working to convert traditional cemeteries into urban forests. 

“Forests are disappearing,” Bellsola said. “I hope, with this initiative, not only to improve memorial services, but to bring people closer to nature and raise awareness about stewardship and the importance of the environment.”

Mark Falcone, Vice Chair of the Biennial of the Americas a steadfast supporter of the YC, sees youth as a key part of the alliance our planet needs. "We all have a role to play: the public sector, the private sector, multilateral organizations, communities, NGOs, researchers,” Falcone said. “We must all come together to chart a sustainable path for the future of our planet."

Quote : Santiago Gowland

The creativity of young people is invaluable in the search for innovative solutions for climate change.

Santiago Gowland

“At TNC, we work to inspire and involve young people through nature and science and encourage innovation,” said Santiago Gowland, Executive Vice President for Global Innovation and Executive Director of Latin America. 

“The creativity of young people is invaluable in the search for innovative solutions for climate change," Gowland said. "Supporting the Youth Congress of the Americas represents an opportunity to reach broader audiences and disseminate knowledge across borders.”

With TNC’s technical support and funding from private companies, the YC have met on four occasions in different countries since 2017 with the goal of collaborating for regional action. In September, the 85 delegates convened in Denver, USA, to define their action plan for 2020.

Together, they decided to take on the challenge of planting a million trees across the continent, in addition to collecting a million signatures in support of the conservation of one million hectares of priority ecosystems in Argentina. This project will serve as a pilot that other countries may replicate in the future.

Through social media, digital platforms and annual conferences, delegates are building stronger networks for collaboration—including the sharing of resources, achievements and lessons learned, and amplifying the message for urgent action. And Lina, Nico, Juliana, Edna, Pierre, Isabel, Bambou, Morgan, Mariana, are just a few of the many young leaders working tirelessly to protect our planet.

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Youth in Action

Climate change has increased levels of uncertainty about our future. As its impacts intensify over time, one thing has become certain: We will leave the Earth to today’s children and young people, and to future generations.

The world is home to 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 to 24 — the largest generation of youth in history. Young people are increasingly aware of the challenges and risks presented by the climate crisis and of the opportunity to achieve sustainable development brought by a solution to climate change.

Young people’s unprecedented mobilization around the world shows the massive power they possess to hold decision-makers accountable. Their message is clear: the older generation has failed, and it is the young who will pay in full — with their very futures.

Young people are not only victims of climate change. They are also valuable contributors to climate action. They are agents of change, entrepreneurs and innovators. Whether through education, science or technology, young people are scaling up their efforts and using their skills to accelerate climate action.

My generation has largely failed until now to preserve both justice in the world and to preserve the planet. It is your generation that must make us be accountable to make sure that we don't betray the future of humankind. —  United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres

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Young people’s ‘green skills’ can help save the planet

Young climate advocates will join leaders of government and business at the Climate Ambition Summit , which represents a key milestone to accelerate action to limit warming to 1.5°C and ensure a just transition. UN News spoke with four members of the Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change about the importance of ‘green skills’ for youth and the messages they hope to deliver to leaders at the Summit.

Ayisha Siddiqa: “Young people aren’t just a quota to fulfil”

UN News spoke with Ayisha Siddiqa, a member of the Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change , about how her background and how it informs her work, recognizing young people as key climate stakeholders, and why poetry “can be a mechanism of quiet protest” in the face of the climate emergency.

Young people’s message to leaders at COP27

At COP27, two youth activists Elizabeth Wathuti and Archana Soreng and the winner of the #MyClimateAction contest Ewi Stephanie Lamma demanded urgent action from world leaders amid the worsening climate crisis.

In the spotlight: The Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change

Building on efforts to bring more young leaders into decision-making and planning processes, the  Secretary-General announced the second cohort of his Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change  on 16 March 2023. The Group will support the United Nations’ work in raising ambition and accelerating global action to tackle the climate crisis.

The seven members of the Group represent diverse voices of young people from all regions. They will offer perspectives and solutions on climate change and advise the Secretary-General on the implementation of his climate action priorities.

Learn more about the selection criteria here .

THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

• Join the United Nations’ #ActNow campaign for climate action and sustainability
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Youth Climate Action Summit 2019

Young leaders from around the world convened on 21 September 2019 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to showcase climate solutions and engage with global leaders on the defining issue of our time.

The Youth Climate Action Summit brought youth climate champions together from more than 140 countries and territories to share their solutions on the global stage, and deliver a clear message to world leaders: we need to act now to address climate change. The event gave voice to the demands of young people for swifter action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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Young climate activists demand action and inspire hope, climate change impacts everyone but the future belongs to young people. meet some of the youth activists on the frontline..

As the impacts of climate change intensify with each passing year, more and more young people are joining the movement for positive change. By leading the discussion around climate change, they are also spreading awareness and motivating others to take action.

UNICEF partnered with Fridays For Future , an organization founded by Greta Thunberg, to speak to youth climate activists on how climate change has affected them and what they’re doing to fight it. They share their experiences and encourage others to take action for a cleaner, cooler and happier world.

María, Mexico

Since childhood, María, 19, has seen the impacts of the climate crisis up close, especially the water crisis that runs throughout Mexico. While droughts and rising temperatures are causing forest fires, cyclones are causing flooding and harvests to be lost. To fight this, she became a full-time climate activist. She believes that the issue of water scarcity cannot be seen in isolation but as a part of the larger ecosystem.

“To preserve water, we have to preserve the forests.”

Tahsin, Bangladesh

Tahsin Uddin, 22, is a climate activist in Bangladesh – a country where many people are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. He promotes cycling as an eco-friendly vehicle through his youth organization and trains teenagers on mobile journalism, while also planting trees and organizing clean-ups. He urges young people to take part in their country’s climate movement.

“Though we the young people are not responsible for climate change, it will have a greater impact on us.”

What inspired Tahsin and what can young people do to start protecting the environment? Read more >>  

Russell, Dominica

Russell Raymond, 17, is a reporter from the Caribbean nation of Dominica. When Hurricane Maria made landfall in September 2017, it devastated his country, submerging streets, blowing roofs off homes and schools and forcing his family to seek shelter. Since then, he has used photography to chronicle the impacts of the hurricane on the island he calls home. In this video he revisits some of those memories.

“Alternate forms of energy like solar energy and wind … can stop climate change or at least put a dent in it.”

What Russell saw in the aftermath of the hurricane: See the photo essay >>  

Mitzi, Philippines

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Mitzi Jonelle Tan, an activist from Manila, has been campaigning for climate justice. As the Philippines was hit by two back-to-back hurricanes in 2020, her organization sprang into action – feeding the communities left hungry and asking them about their problems and how they felt after the storm.

“This isn’t just about the weather and the environment. It’s about justice.”

From amplifying voices for climate justice to demanding accountability, read about Mitzi’s work >>  

Nkosi, Zimbabwe

Nkosilathi Nyathi, 17, is a UNICEF climate activist from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. He walks us through changes he has witnessed first-hand as a result of climate change. He feels that although young people can see and feel the effects of climate change, many don’t know what’s happening and he wants to change that.

“There’s no other time for acting than now.”

What keeps Nkosi on the frontline for climate justice? Read his blog post >>

Climate change is impacting the lives of children and young people everywhere. The world needs to keep to its commitment to limit warming to 1.5 o C. Read more >>

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Elevating the voices of young people to protect the future of our planet

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Youth and climate Action in the time of COVID-19

Things young people are doing to take action against climate change

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• v.13(2); 2009 Aug

Role of youth in combating climate change

Harshal t. pandve.

1 Department of Community Medicine, Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College, Narhe, Pune-411 041, India

Neha R. Patil

2 Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Ryals Public Health Building, Suite 430, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA

Climate change is one of the most critical global challenges of our times. Recent events have emphatically demonstrated our growing vulnerability to climate change. Climate change impacts range from affecting agriculture, further endangering food security, to sea-level rise and the accelerated erosion of coastal zones increasing the intensity of natural disasters, species extinction, and spread of vector-borne diseases. This issue is of immense importance for every global citizen. Hence it requires an initiative against it globally.[ 1 ]

Youth play a crucial role in combating climate change. A questionnaire-based pilot survey was conducted in Pune city of Maharashtra state, Indiam to assess awareness about climate change among the college going youth. Amongst 201 respondents 66.2% were males and 33.8% were females studying in various faculties or courses. About 98.5% respondents said global climate is changing, 95.5% of the respondents also commented that human activities contribute to climate change. The study also assessed awareness regarding major international organizations and panels working on global climate change and its effects. Only 45.3% of the respondents knew about the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the Kyoto Protocol while 45.8% were aware of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which conducts scientific analysis of climate change, global warming and its impacts. About 54.5% of the respondents believed that youth could play a major role in combating climate change.

As per the 60th annual DPI/NGO conference organized by the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) in collaboration with the NGO/DPI, an executive committee meet on “Climate Change: How It Impacts Us All” was held from September 5 to 7, 2007, at the United Nations Headquarters. It stressed the role of youth, the next generation which inhabits the Earth and inherits the responsibility to protect the planet, in fighting the complex scientific problems and social quandaries presented by climate change. Youth education represents one of the most effective tools to combat the destructive potential of climate change and cultivate an international understanding among members of the next generation since it is a long-term process that will impact an infinite number of future generations.[ 2 ]

The theme of International Youth Day, 2008, was “Youth and Climate change: Time for action.” In his address, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations said young people who are adept at spreading new habits and technologies are well placed to contribute to the fight against climate change. Mr. Ban stressed: “They (youth) are adaptable and can quickly make low-carbon lifestyles and career choices a part of their daily lives. Youth should therefore be given a chance to take an active part in the decision-making of local, national and global levels. They can actively support initiatives that will lead to the passage of far-reaching legislation.”[ 3 ] A more defined role should be given to the youth to prevent the impact of climate change. It is essential to conduct major studies among youth regarding awareness about climate change as well as role of youth in combating climate change.

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Student Opinion

What Role Should Young People Play in the Fight Against Climate Change?

Young people around the world are worried about the planet. What can they do about it?

By Michael Gonchar

In June, a group of young people in Montana won a landmark lawsuit related to climate change when, for the first time in the United States, a judge ruled that the state’s failure to consider climate change when approving fossil fuel projects was unconstitutional. Youth-led climate litigation is moving forward in other states too — and elsewhere around the world . With these lawsuits, along with social media activism and protests, Gen Z is making its voice heard.

How concerned are you about the planet? What role do you think young people should play in the fight against climate change? To what extent do you think your generation has any power to make a difference?

In “ With TikTok and Lawsuits, Gen Z Takes on Climate Change ,” David Gelles writes:

As Kaliko Teruya was coming home from her hula lesson on Aug. 8, her father called. The apartment in Lahaina was gone, he said, and he was running for his life. He was trying to escape the deadliest American wildfire in more than a century, an inferno in Hawaii fueled by powerful winds from a faraway hurricane and barely hindered by the state’s weak defenses against natural disasters. Her father survived. But for Kaliko, 13, the destruction of the past week has reinforced her commitment to a cause that is coming to define her generation. “The fire was made so much worse due to climate change,” she said. “How many more natural disasters have to happen before grown-ups realize the urgency?” Like a growing number of young people, Kaliko is engaged in efforts to raise awareness about global warming and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, last year she and 13 other young people, age 9 to 18, sued their home state, Hawaii, over its use of fossil fuels. With active lawsuits in five states, TikTok videos that mix humor and outrage, and marches in the streets, it’s a movement that is seeking to shape policy, sway elections and shift a narrative that its proponents say too often emphasizes climate catastrophes instead of the need to make the planet healthier and cleaner. Young climate activists in the United States have not yet had the same impact of their counterparts in Europe, where Greta Thunberg has galvanized a generation. But during a summer of record heat, choking wildfire smoke and now a hurricane bearing down on Los Angeles, American teenagers and 20-somethings concerned about the planet are increasingly being taken seriously.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

A 2021 survey of people ages 16 to 25 in 10 countries found that three-quarters of the participants were frightened of the future. More than half said that humanity was doomed. Do you agree with those sentiments? How concerned are you about climate change? Why?

Are you or your friends trying to create a healthier planet? In what ways?

Have you heard about the lawsuits that young people are filing, like the one in Montana, to help shape climate policy? Do these actions inspire confidence in you that young people can make a difference? Why, or why not?

Badge Busse, 15, a plaintiff in the Montana case, said, “The fact that kids are taking this action is incredible. But it’s sad that it had to come to us. We’re the last resort.” What is your response to that?

What role do you think young people should play in the fight against climate change?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

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How to help teens overcome anxiety about climate change, climate change is a mental health issue, not just an environmental one. compassion practices may help adolescents turn anxiety into action..

The solutions to climate change are self-evident. Opportunities for change within our systems, countries, and institutions have been clearly defined, and yet political forces stifle systemic climate action as well as individual agency. This inability to change what is right in front of us—coupled with the catastrophic outcomes that are here and that are to come—is what drives “climate anxiety.”

Climate anxiety is especially becoming prevalent among adolescents, who are more likely to be aware of and concerned about climate change than previous generations.

Adolescents’ climate anxiety is often described as a simmering or underlying cause of poor mental health. This is because climate anxiety may not be the primary cause of mental health issues, but rather a contributing factor that intensifies existing symptoms.

For example, studies have described climate anxiety as a “slow-burn” stressor that can accumulate over time and increase the risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Similarly, one systematic review noted that climate anxiety may interact with other stressors and amplify their negative effects on mental health.

Climate anxiety may also be described as a hidden or silent stressor, as it is often not recognized or acknowledged by health care providers or society at large. This can lead to a lack of appropriate support and resources for individuals experiencing climate anxiety, which can further exacerbate their distress. Fortunately, the research also suggests ways that we can help adolescents to navigate these negative feelings and turn toward hope and positive action.

How climate change fuels anxiety

Overall, describing adolescents’ climate anxiety as a simmering cause of poor mental health highlights the importance of addressing climate change not only as an environmental issue but also as a mental health issue. It also emphasizes the need for comprehensive and integrated approaches to mental health that consider the complex interplay between environmental, social, and individual factors.

Compassion-Based Cognitive Training

There are number of compassion-based resources that address climate anxiety. One specific approach to compassion training that has been used in the context of anxiety is Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT). CBCT is a secular and evidence-based program developed at Emory University. CBCT has been shown to have positive effects on reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Additionally, some studies suggest that CBCT may increase "prosocial" behavior and emotional regulation, both of which can be helpful in coping with climate anxiety.

In a study conducted two years ago, researchers investigated the prevalence of climate anxiety among adolescents around the world and its potential impact on mental health. The study found that climate anxiety was a common experience among the surveyed adolescents, with the majority reporting feeling very or extremely worried about the impact of climate change on their future.

Further studies have found a significant association between climate anxiety and poor mental health, including symptoms of depression and anxiety. Adolescents with high levels of climate anxiety were more likely to report poor mental health compared to those with lower levels of climate anxiety.

Jennifer L. Barkin is an epidemiologist at Mercer School of Medicine with expertise on the intersection of climate change and mental health. Her research focuses on understanding the impact of climate change on the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, particularly childbearing women, children, and adolescents. She and her colleagues have found that adolescents who experience high levels of climate anxiety may be at risk of developing anxiety and depressive disorders in adulthood, as well as other negative health outcomes such as substance abuse and chronic stress-related conditions.


It is important to note that the long-term effects of climate anxiety may also have broader societal effects. Climate change is a complex and multifaceted issue that can feel overwhelming, and adolescents may feel powerless because there is no connection to making meaningful changes in the face of such a massive global problem. Additionally, the slow pace of action on climate change by governments and other institutions can contribute to a sense of hopelessness about the future. This, in turn, can further exacerbate feelings of anxiety and helplessness, creating a vicious cycle that perpetuates poor mental health outcomes.

How to help teens with climate anxiety

While the solutions to climate change might be economic, systemic, and structural, there are steps individuals can take to manage their own anxiety, which may help them to develop the future-oriented thinking they need to engage in actions and to fight for the policies that can mitigate the damage.

We can start with compassion training, as it helps individuals to develop a more positive and supportive relationship with themselves and others. Most importantly, compassion training cultivates discernment and wisdom with tenderheartedness. According to the Greater Good Science Center, researchers define compassion “as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.” That’s why compassion training works in the case of climate change: It directly addresses this sense of helplessness by orienting one’s attention toward what they can do and how they can make an impact. With a compassionate attitude, we can aim to alleviate both nature’s suffering and our own.

Research has found that compassion-based interventions can be effective in reducing anxiety and depression symptoms, increasing positive emotions, and improving overall mental health outcomes. In the context of climate anxiety, compassion training may help individuals to feel less isolated and overwhelmed by creating a sense of shared concern and connectedness with others.

There are several examples of compassion-based interventions that have been developed specifically for adolescents with climate anxiety. For example, one intervention involves group-based mindfulness and compassion training, which combines mindfulness practices with compassion-focused exercises to help adolescents develop a more supportive relationship with themselves and others.

Additional Resources

The Climate Reality Project : The Climate Reality Project offers a range of resources and training programs for young people interested in acting on climate change. Their Youth Corps program provides training and support for young people looking to become climate leaders in their communities.

The Good Grief Network : The Good Grief Network offers programs for individuals and communities looking to process their emotions around difficult topics, such as the unpredictability caused by climate change, and take positive action toward addressing it. They offer online and in-person workshops and support groups.

The Sierra Club 's Youth Programs: The Sierra Club offers a range of programs and resources for young people interested in environmental activism and climate action. They have youth leadership programs, advocacy campaigns, and educational resources available.

The Climate Education Initiative : The Climate Education Initiative provides educational resources and tools for teachers and educators looking to incorporate climate change education into their classrooms. They offer lesson plans, curriculum guides, and professional development workshops.

There are several examples of compassion-based interventions that may support adolescents with climate anxiety. For example, one intervention involves group-based mindfulness and compassion training, which combines mindfulness practices with compassion-focused exercises to help adolescents develop a more supportive relationship with themselves and others. Another example is the “Eco-Compassion” intervention, which emphasizes the importance of compassion for the natural world and uses mindfulness practices to help adolescents to connect with nature and to develop a deeper sense of care for the environment.

Within the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics , at Emory University, there are several domains of development that can have a direct and lasting effect on climate anxiety. None of these recommendations are specific to adolescents—and, indeed, parents and teachers should consider first adopting them for themselves, and then modeling them for their teens.

Tenderheartedness: This refers to the ability to be kind and gentle with oneself and others. Practicing tenderheartedness can help individuals develop self-compassion and reduce self-criticism, which can be especially important when dealing with the overwhelming and potentially distressing emotions that can come with climate anxiety. By cultivating a sense of kindness and compassion toward oneself, individuals may be better equipped to handle difficult emotions and take positive action toward addressing climate change.

Common humanity: This involves recognizing that suffering and struggle are universal experiences, and that we are all interconnected. Practicing common humanity can help individuals feel less isolated and alone in their experiences of climate anxiety and develop a sense of shared responsibility for addressing climate change. By recognizing our common humanity, individuals may be more motivated to act toward addressing climate change and may feel more supported in their efforts.

Interdependence: This refers to the recognition that all beings are interconnected and interdependent. Practicing interdependence can help individuals develop a sense of connection and responsibility toward the natural world and recognize the ways in which our actions impact the planet and all living beings. By cultivating a sense of interdependence, individuals may be more motivated to take actions toward reducing their carbon footprint and protecting the environment.

Compassionate engagement: This involves actively working toward reducing suffering in oneself and others. Practicing compassionate engagement can help individuals develop a sense of agency and efficacy in addressing climate change and develop a deeper commitment to making positive change. By engaging in compassionate action, individuals may feel more empowered and effective in their efforts to address climate change, which can in turn reduce feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.


Wisdom: This involves developing an understanding of the causes and conditions that give rise to suffering, and the ability to respond skillfully to difficult situations. Practicing wisdom can help individuals gain perspective on the complex and interconnected issues that contribute to climate change and develop more effective strategies for addressing these issues. By developing wisdom, individuals may be better able to see the bigger picture of climate change and take a more balanced and informed approach to their actions.


Through these practices and ideas, teens can learn to overcome feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, to take action against climate change. This can include interventions that promote community engagement and social support, as well as education and advocacy initiatives that help individuals feel informed and equipped to act on climate change.

About the Author

Tyralynn Frazier

Tyralynn Frazier, PhD, MPH, is the lead research scientist with the Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning (SEE Learning) program, a K-12 education program developed for international use, at Emory University's Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics . Tyralynn has worked with international research collaborators, school leaders, and non-profit organizations to support the development of compassion-based education research worldwide. She has an MPH in epidemiology from Emory University and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Anthropology.

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Want to take action on climate change? These books can help.

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At the beginning of a new year, commentators of all sorts invite us to look back at the year just finished and forward to the year ahead. This year, on the matter of climate change, the annual exercise has special importance.

2022 was filled with the sort of natural disasters we have come to expect but whose severity still surprises us: the devastating floods in Nigeria and Pakistan , vicious tropical cyclones like Hurricane Ian , and scorching heat waves in the United States , Europe , India , and China .

But 2022 was also noteworthy for long-hoped-for successes — like the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act , known as the IRA, in the United States and the new if still tentative commitment by the international community to address the losses and damages climate change is already inflicting on developing countries. 2022 set the stage for significant action on climate change.

A set stage, however, still requires actors. The opportunities created by these developments, the Inflation Reduction Act in particular, will not seize themselves. U.S. residents concerned about climate change must persuade their churches, school boards, workplaces, city councils, and state legislatures to access and use the funds provided by the IRA* to reduce their carbon footprints.

To help our readers meet these challenges, Yale Climate Connections has assembled a special collection of books and reports on climate action. Each offers practical advice for individuals who want to persuade their communities to act on climate change. Some of these titles have appeared in previous bookshelves; others are newly discovered or recently published. The collection includes titles aimed at different age groups: adults, college students, young adults, and children. Many also offer inspiring personal stories of climate activism.

So if you want to up your game on climate change this year, resolve to read one of these books.

As always, the descriptions of the titles are adapted from copy provided by the publishers or organizations that released them.

*Note: The White House has created its own guidebook for the Inflation Reduction Act, a detailed but accessible explanation of what’s in the bill and of the procedures for accessing the funds it allocates. The guidebook can be downloaded, free of charge, here .

Advocating for the Environment: How to Gather Your Power and Take Action , by Susan B. Inches (North Atlantic Books 2022, 368 pages, $19.95 paperback)

What can ordinary citizens really do about climate change? A lot! Written by environmental policy expert Susan B. Inches, Advocating for the Environmentis an empowering guide to help you enact environmental change. Part I explains how we must learn to think differently. It discusses storytelling, empathy, worldviews, and how effective communication can help us collaborate with others. Part II of the book is all about action: how to use power for good, work with decision-makers, organize events, manage a coalition, communicate with the public, and work with the media. The book also includes case studies and templates to deepen learning. Teachers, students, and community activists will find useful ideas and strategies on every page. 

Lead for the Planet: Five Practices for Confronting Climate Change , by Rae Andre (University of Toronto Press 2020, 272 pages, $29.95)

With so much evidence in the news, it’s hard to believe that we’ve had to spend so much time convincing each other that climate change is real. Lead for the Planet shifts the focus to how we are going to organize to solve the twin issues of climate change and energy evolution. Building on her experience as an organizational psychologist, Rae André outlines five practices that successful climate leaders will need to adopt, from getting out the truth about the state of the planet, to identifying the risks and interests of key stakeholders, to implementing change within and between organizations and sectors on a global scale. Lead for the Planet is a guide for the kind of leadership that is necessary to create a clean energy future for the generations to come.

Climate Courage: How Tackling Climate Change Can Build Community, Transform the Economy, and Bridge the Political Divide in America , by Andreas Karelas (Beacon Press 2020, 248 pages, $17.00 paperback)

Andreas Karelas has a message we don’t often hear: We have all the tools we need to solve the climate crisis and doing so will improve our lives, our economy, and our society. But to engage people in the climate fight, we need stories that are empowering, inclusive, and solutions-oriented. Karelas digs into the latest data on the rapidly falling costs and increased efficiencies of clean energy technologies compared to fossil fuels, looks at the rate of job creation in the clean energy sector, and introduces the reader to the inspiring work of climate heroes on both sides of the aisle—from mayors and governors to activists, businesses, and faith communities. Climate Courage shows us how we can create a sustainable economy that works for everyone.

Climate Action Planning: A Guide to Creating Low-Carbon, Resilient Communities by Michael R. Boswell, Adrienne I. Greve, and Tammy L. Seale (Island Press 2019, 384 pages, $35.00 paperback)

Climate Action Planning is designed to help planners, municipal staff and officials, citizens and others working at local levels to develop and implement plans to mitigate a community’s greenhouse gas emissions and increase the resilience of communities against climate change impacts. This fully revised and expanded edition goes well beyond climate action plans to examine the mix of policy and planning instruments available to every community. New examples of implemented projects highlight what has worked and the challenges that remain. The new chapter vulnerability assessment will help communities identify their greatest risks and opportunities. A comprehensive look at the art, science, and practice, Climate Action Planning should be the first stop for local governments interested in addressing climate change.

Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle: Why Individual Climate Action Matters More Than Ever by Lloyd Alter (New Society Publishers 2021,176 pages, $19.95 paperback)

The international scientific consensus is that we have less than a decade to drastically slash our collective carbon emissions to keep global heating to 1.5 degrees and avert catastrophe. This means that many of us have to cut our individual carbon footprints by over 80% by 2030. But where to start? Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle draws on Lloyd Alter’s own efforts to track his daily carbon emissions—from take-out food, bikes and cars, and internet usage, to the invisible carbon embedded in everything we own. Grounded in meticulous research and yet accessible to all, Alter’s book describes a journey toward a life of quality over quantity, and sufficiency over efficiency. Only by following such a path can we save our planetary home.

Faithful Resilience: Building Spiritual, Physical, and Social Climate Resilience by Avery Davis Lamb (Creation Justice Ministries 2022, 29 pages, free download available with registration)

Faithful Resilience is an indispensable tool for integrating teaching and action on climate resilience into your congregation.  This 6-part guide will equip you with theological reflections for sermons or bible study, questions for reflection or conversation, action steps for your church, and examples of churches who are building resilience in their community. The series features six parts: (1) The Land We Inhabit, (2) The Fierce Urgency of Now, (3) Resilience and Restoration, (4) Climate Migration, (5) Building Resilience, and (6): Resilient Worship.

A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New Africa Voice to the Climate Crisis , by Vanessa Nakate (Mariner Books 2021, 240 pages, $22.00)

In January 2020, while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Vanessa Nakate was cropped out of a photo of five young climate activists; the other four activists were all white. The incident highlighted the message Nakate has been delivering all along: those who have been omitted from the climate discussion and are now demanding to be heard. In A Bigger Picture, Nakate shares her story as a young Ugandan woman who sees that her community bears disproportionate consequences from the climate crisis. Tracing her journey from a shy girl in Kampala to a leader on the world stage, her book is a rousing manifesto and a poignant memoir; it presents a vision for the climate movement based on resilience, sustainability, and equity. 

Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use It , by Jamie Margolin, Foreword by Greta Thunberg (Hachette 2020, 272 pages, $16.99 paperback)

The 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests. March for Our Lives, and School Strike for Climate. What do all these social justice movements have in common? They were led by passionate, informed, engaged young people. Jamie Margolin has been organizing and protesting since she was 14 years old. Now the co-leader of a global climate action movement, she knows better than most how powerful a young person can be. In Youth to Power, Jamie presents the essential guide to changemaking, with advice on writing and pitching op-eds, organizing successful events and peaceful protests, time management as a student activist, utilizing social and traditional media to spread messages, and sustaining long-term intersectional activism.

This Book Will Save the Planet: A Climate-Justice Primer for Activists and Changemakers by Dany Sigwalt with illustrations by Aurelia Durand (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books 2022. 160 pages, $15.99 paperback)

Our planet is in crisis. The ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising, wildfires are raging … and those most affected by global warming are marginalized communities across the globe. But all is not lost – there’s still time for   each and every one of us to make a difference. Through the lens of intersectionality, author Dany Sigwalt and illustrator Aurélia Durand lay out the framework for how we can come together to fight climate change, and how we can work to put people over profit. A vibrant study of one of humanity’s most significant threats, This Book Will Save the Planet explains the core principles of climate justice, shows how solidarity and mutual aid can change the world, and encourages readers to use their privilege to stand up for other people.

This book provides the tools we need to save the planet we all live on.

A Kid’s Guide to Saving the Planet: It’s Not Hopeless and We’re Not Helpless , by Paul Douglas with illustrations by Chelen Ecija (Beaming Books 2022, 112 pages, $22.99)

We have every reason to be concerned about our planet, our only home. New inventions and technologies will help, but cleaning up the planet — saving the world — will require all of us to pay attention and take action. What can you do to help? Plenty! Despite what you may hear on the news, the situation isn’t hopeless, and we aren’t helpless. In this inspiring, informative book, nationally recognized meteorologist Paul Douglas clearly and thoughtfully presents the daunting problems of climate change. And he offers realistic solutions (including some that are already working!) and actions that kids can participate in now. It’s imperative that we all step up and become part of the solution by engaging in new, smarter ways of living.

Climate Action: What Happened and What We Can Do by Seymour Simon (Harper Collins 2021, 48 pages, $8.99 paperback)

Everyone is affected by climate change. Reading Climate Action: What Happened and What We Can Do is the perfect introduction not only to the dramatic effects of climate change but to the solutions. Learn how our behavior and actions have led us to this point, hear from kids around the world dealing with extreme storms, wildfires, and sea level rise, and discover what scientists, youth activists, and ordinary citizens are doing to protect their communities. Divided into eight sections for easy browsing and with over 50 photographs, captions, charts, and graphs, this nonfiction book is an excellent choice to share in the classroom and for homeschooling for kids ages 6 and up.  Seymour Simon’s books are regularly honored by the National Science Teaching Association. This one also includes a glossary, an author’s note, and an index.

Climate Action: The Future Is in Our Hands by Georgina Steven with illustrations by Katie Rewse (Penguin Random House / 360 Degrees 2021, 64 pages, $24.99)

Our planet needs us. And we need our planet. Learn about how climate change is affecting our world, explore the impact that humans have on the planet, and read about innovative ideas for tackling climate breakdown. In this book about climate change, we share the facts. But we also share hope. Learn about the causes of climate change and how it is affecting our world. Explore the human impact and what it means to have a carbon footprint. Read about innovative ideas for tackling climate breakdown. Be inspired by the positive stories from young people effecting change all around the globe. Get tips on the things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint, and discover many different ways to take action. Our planet needs us. And we need our planet.

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Michael svoboda.

Michael Svoboda, Ph.D., is the Yale Climate Connections books editor. He is a professor in the University Writing Program at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he has taught since... More by Michael Svoboda