Children and Climate Change

This Element summarizes the impacts of climate change on children's healthy development and highlights critical areas for action.

Ann V. Sanson (Author), Karina Padilla Malca (Author), Judith Van Hoorn (Author), Susie Burke (Author)

9781009114950, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 22 September 2022

75 pages
22.8 x 15.2 x 0.5 cm, 0.14 kg

The existential threat posed by climate change presents a challenge to all those concerned about the next generation. This Element reviews and discusses its implications for the development of children (ages 0-12) today and in the future, and for the parents, teachers, researchers, and professionals who have responsibility for children. This Element adopts a bioecological model to examine both the direct impacts on children's physical and psychological well-being as well as indirect impacts through all the systems external to the child, emphasizing the greater vulnerability of children in the Global South. Given evidence of well-founded climate anxiety, this Element examines children's coping strategies and discusses the key roles of caregivers and schools in protecting and preparing children to face current and future challenges – with knowledge, hope, and agency as central themes. This Element highlights many under-researched areas and calls for action by all those caring for and about children's future.

1. Introduction and overview
2. Impacts of exposure to climate-related events on children's health, development, and well-being
3. Children's knowledge and feelings about climate change
4. Coping with climate change
5. Parenting in the age of climate crisis
6. Climate change education
7. Preparing children for the world they will inherit as adults
8. Conclusions, future directions, and a call to action
References.

Subject Areas: Social impact of environmental issues [RNT], Climate change [RNPG], Social groups [JFS]