How To Talk To Kids About Climate Change

If you care about the planet and the people living on it, chances are you feel or have felt some fear about the future. Over the past few years, “eco-anxiety” — the chronic fear of environmental doom — has become a household term for many of us. More and more, public health experts are recognizing the toll that eco-anxiety takes on mental health, especially that of young people.

In 2021, the Lancet published the first large-scale investigation of climate anxiety in kids. Researchers surveyed 10,000 youth aged 16 to 25 in 10 countries and found that in all those countries, young people’s daily lives were affected by climate anxiety and other distressing emotions and thoughts about the issue.

Climate change isn’t going away, which means adults (including parents, grandparents, teachers, aunts, uncles, siblings and friends) need to find new and better ways to support young people by talking to them and teaching them about it in age-appropriate ways.

It might not be easy — climate conversations often aren’t. So here are some tips to help you.

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This resource is part of the Together in Hope: Toward Faith-Based Intergenerational Dialogue and Action in the Climate Crisis collection.

Recommended use: Guidance for how and why to talk with kids about climate change.

Recommended audience: Adults

Difficulty level: This is a part of the Together in Hope Starter Guide.