Needs to Consider

Climate Anxiety

Research shows that today’s youth are worried about the future and it’s affecting their mental health. According to a study published in 2021, “more than 45 per cent [of respondents aged 16 to 25] said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning” (Basu). Furthermore, “nearly 80% of young Canadians (aged 16 – 25) identified that climate change affects their overall mental health and four out of ten responded that it takes a daily toll on their well being. On top of that, 73% find the future frightening; 39% are hesitant to have children; and 71% feel angry about the Canadian government’s response to climate change.” (Field, E. & Howlett, S., p. 5).

Not only is involvement in climate change a right of children, it can help those affected by climate anxiety. Helping young people to connect with each other and take action for climate change “may be the most beneficial approach” (Sanson, p. 207) for climate related mental health issues. “Conversations with students who have engaged in school strikes or other forms of activism show how their activism has helped them manage their anxiety about the future and channel it into determination, courage and optimism” (Sanson, p. 207). Climate action and connecting with people who have similar feelings about climate change is a combination that can make real change happen. Working towards a healthy planet is healthy for people!

To address this need, an environment club for students needs to be created. This could be an independent school club with a teacher sponsor, or it could be associated with a global club such as Roots and Shoots. This program was launched by the Jane Goodall Institute in 1992. By joining Roots and Shoots, the school club would be connected with a global youth community that have a shared goal. The program also provides resources and inspiration for projects.

Click here to check out Roots and Shoots Canada.

Click here for free online courses for educators on the global Roots and Shoots website

“Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”

Howard Zinn

Intersectionalities

An important consideration to make when engaging youth in climate action is intersectionalities. An intersectionality is when systems of oppression overlap and the effects are compounded. There is a different experience for people experiencing more than one type of oppression. When intersectionalities occur, the effects of climate change are exacerbated and are not the same as when climate change occurs without other forms of oppression affecting an individual.

Examples of how forms of oppression compound the effects of climate change:

• Someone that can’t walk or move quickly can’t evacuate during a flood or storm as quickly as an able-bodied person.
• Someone living in poverty can’t easily find a new home when they lose their home due to a natural disaster.
• A person of colour that has to move because of rising sea levels likely won’t be hired as soon as a white person.

The below video explains how climate change disproportionately affects different groups of people, including Indigenous peoples and women.

Understanding intersectionalities is important because not all goals or solutions for climate change will apply equally to all individuals. Students with physical disabilities won’t be able to bike to school in the same way as an able-bodied student. Another student with medical needs might produce waste because it ensures medical products they need are sanitary.

Additionally, forms of oppression need to be considered when engaging youth. These differences mean “youth experiences are
unique, and while it is valuable to have a youth perspective,
having many perspectives is much more meaningful” (Tamarack
Institute, p. 3). By ensuring that the stories and opinions of even
the quietest youth in the room are shared, more perspectives can
contribute to the overall picture. It’s important to consider
intersectionalities as climate change exacerbates inequalities and
those perspectives need equal consideration.

Strategies for Engaging and Empowering Students

The below presentation contains strategies for how to engage and empower students to take action to address climate change. The intended audience is fellow educators and administrators to further youth involvement and a culture of sustainability. The most important thing to remember when engaging students is to relinquish the power to students and let them lead, and to ensure a community of youth is connected with each other.

The strategies included are:

• Ask, don’t assume
• Co-development & partnership
• Ensuring accountability
• Consider who is being heard and who is being excluded
• Compensation
• Ask students what skills are valuable to them

References

Basu, Brishti. “The kids are not all right: How young people are dealing with increasing climate anxiety.” CBC News, 23 Aug. 2023, https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/climate-anxiety-wildfires-teens-1.6944352.

Field, E., Howlett, S. (2023). Climate Leadership within Canadian School Boards: 2023 Review. https://climatechangelearningcanada.org/2023-review/

Jane Goodall Institute. “Roots and Shoots.” https://janegoodall.ca/what-we-do/canada-programs/roots-and-shoots/

Sanson, Ann and Marco Bellemo. “Children and youth in the climate crisis.” In BJPsych Bulletin 45, Aug. 2021, 205–209, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8499628/.

Tamarack Institute. “GUIDE | Meaningfully Engaging Youth In Our Community.” 5 Nov. 2020, https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/guides/guide-meaningfully-engaging-youth-communities-building-youth-futures.

Women and Gender Equality Canada. “Does Climate Change Affect Us All the Same Way?” YouTube, 8 Mar. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgZhgdHkTlU.

Zinn, Howard. “The Optimism of Uncertainty.” The Nation, 2 Sept. 2004, https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/optimism-uncertainty/.

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