Samantha, 11, asks her seventh-grade teacher for permission to leave the classroom whenever the topic of climate change comes up.
Samantha lives in a small town in Massachusetts and sees stories about climate change on social media and in the news. She asked her family about this. Although she doesn’t mean to scare her, her family is concerned about the increasingly dire effects climate change is having on the planet, including the link between rising global temperatures and an increase in extreme storms and wildfires. is recognized.
Samantha knows all this, which is why the mere mention of climate change causes anxiety. Her parents, Samantha, are at a loss as to how to help her. Unfortunately, more children and their parents are struggling with similar feelings.
Mental health clinicians and researchers are beginning to notice and document what is called climate anxiety or environmental anxiety, defined as chronic stress caused by concerns about the effects of climate change. According to an international group of researchers, specific symptoms of this phenomenon in children and young people include feelings of intense sadness, anger, helplessness, helplessness, and guilt, all of which are associated with the more common can cause severe anxiety and depression. So while we fight climate change itself, we must also address the anxieties it causes.
Another study confirms findings that depression, generalized and severe anxiety, and “extreme emotions such as sadness, anger, and fear” are all mental health outcomes related to environmental anxiety. . These mental health issues are not considered pathological, but a normal human response to a rapidly changing world.
Related: How the effects of climate change threaten students’ mental health
On the other hand, they may contribute to inaction. A national survey shows that nearly 50 percent of Americans over the age of 18 are fatalistic when it comes to climate change, believing that individual actions will make no difference in changing its course. But of course action is essential.
Is the solution to climate change to hide its harm in order to protect the mental health of our children? Of course not. Climate change is a real threat and requires urgent solutions that involve people around the world working together. In fact, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change lists climate education as a key element of the global campaign to tackle the issue.
One solution is to teach about climate change with a focus on strategies to cope with its effects. The goal of climate education should not only be to teach students the scientific basis of climate change, but also to empower them to deal with climate change rather than to drive them into a state of despair.
To achieve this objective, we need a climate education framework that provides the facts about the problem, explains mitigation and adaptation strategies, and fosters the resilience young people need to navigate and act in a changing world. . Below is a high-level overview of what this framework looks like.
Instructional design focused on solutions
The academic content of this framework must include science lessons that encourage students to explore not only the effects of climate change, but also the science of climate resilience and environmental protection. It should also include civics lessons about the role students can play now and in the future in influencing government policies related to climate adaptation and mitigation. Project-based learning, citizen science learning such as NASA’s GLOBE program, and service learning are positive, solution-oriented approaches that can be leveraged to inspire and prepare youth to become tomorrow’s environmental stewards.
Deeply integrated social and emotional learning
However, even with a focus on solutions, such academic content is not enough. Incorporating social and emotional learning (SEL) into all aspects of climate change education is also essential.
SEL is a much-discussed, research-based approach that helps students increase emotional intelligence, gain emotional agility, and foster meaningful relationships. These emotional skills are key to young people’s success in school and in a rapidly changing world, and they also include non-academic skills such as regulating emotions, taking perspective, and setting and achieving goals. .
Some of SEL’s core social-emotional competencies can help prepare students to manage and act on climate change-related stress. For example, SEL helps build the ability to manage emotions even in the face of adversity. Develop social awareness skills, such as understanding group behavior and influence. Develop interpersonal skills such as effective communication and cooperation with others. They develop self-management skills, such as channeling strong emotions into productive actions. Weaving SEL approaches into instruction can help bring a sense of agency to many young people who are feeling anxious or concerned.
We need to develop this climate education framework today and roll out the curriculum quickly and widely. There’s no time to waste.
Related: Some states require climate change education in nearly every subject, including physical education.
All over the world, children like Samantha sit in class and are haunted by images of a collapsing planet. We can and must provide them with a sense of purpose. It is known to be a driving force for positive development in youth and a protective factor against mental health problems. We can and must prepare them to become effective climate recovery champions who know how to protect both the planet and their own mental health. yeah.
Shai Faxman is a behavioral health expert and senior fellow at the Center for Educational Development, where she leads efforts to promote positive youth development.
Chelsea Goddard is a prevention science expert and associate director of the Center for Educational Development, where she leads the U.S.-based organization’s health, mental health, and behavioral health work.
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