Below are some helpful resources related to the content in this chapter:
Talking to Your Kids About Climate Change is a parenting guide on coping with climate anxiety, including expert tips on validating children’s feelings and taking positive action.
“Understanding and Coping with Eco-Anxiety” provides a resource outlining the mental health impacts of climate change on youth and strategies for support, for families and communities.
Anxiety Canada provides practical tools and articles to help young people manage climate-related anxiety, from a leading Canadian mental health organization.
My Climate Story is a tool for teachers, parents, and kids who are learning about climate change together. It outlines an 8-part lesson plan for exploring our climate stories, geared at Grades 3-6, but adaptable for all ages.
Chapter 1. Introduction
If you have ever struggled to answer your child’s anxious questions about climate change, you are not alone. Across Canada and around the world, families are grappling not just with how to reduce carbon footprints, but also with the emotional footprint of the climate crisis. The science is clear that climate change is real and driven by human activity, and its impacts are no longer distant or abstract (1). Canadians have seen firsthand the ravages of extreme weather – from unprecedented wildfires blanketing our skies with smoke, to catastrophic floods and heatwaves (1). Globally, 2023 was officially the hottest year on record (2). Climate change has become part of our daily lives, and our kids are paying attention.
A Crisis Close to Home – and to the Heart
For today’s children and teenagers, climate change isn’t just something they read about in textbooks – it’s something they feel in their lives.
They see news of floods in distant countries and forest fires in their own provinces. They may even have lived through climate-related disasters themselves. The climate crisis is as much an emotional reality as a physical one. And while young people are remarkably resilient, many are experiencing strong feelings of anxiety, fear, sadness, or anger when they think about what climate change means for their future.
Recent research confirms that these climate-related emotions are widespread among youth. In a large global survey of 10,000 young people across 10 countries, nearly 60% reported feeling very or extremely worried about climate change, and an overwhelming 75% agreed that “the future is frightening” (3). Almost half said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life – causing problems with eating, sleeping, or concentrating on school (3). Here in Canada, surveys find a similar pattern. In one national study, 78% of young Canadians said climate change impacts their overall mental health (4, 5), and over one-third reported that their climate-related feelings interfere with their daily functioning (4,5). More than 7 in 10 Canadian youth say they find the future frightening, and nearly half fear that humanity is doomed if we fail to act (5). These numbers paint a stark picture: climate anxiety – sometimes called eco-anxiety – has become a reality of growing up in the 21st century.
What do we mean by climate anxiety? In simple terms, it’s the distress and worry caused by awareness of climate change and its threats. Children as young as elementary school age may feel scared after witnessing a wildfire or a flood, or even from learning about vanishing polar bears. Older kids and teens, who often understand the science and statistics, might lie awake at night imagining worst-case scenarios for the planet. They might feel grief as they hear about forests dying or species disappearing – a sense of mourning for losses in the natural world that they love. Psychologists even have a word for the pain of witnessing environmental destruction in one’s home place: solastalgia, a kind of homesickness or grief when your beloved environment changes for the worse (6). Researchers argue that this grief is a natural and legitimate response to ecological loss (7). In other words, feeling sad or anxious about climate change isn’t “crazy” or wrong – it’s an understandable reaction to a very real problem.
Importantly, climate-related emotional distress is not classified as a mental illness; in fact many experts see it as a healthy response to an existential threat (8). One UNICEF expert notes that children’s worry “is not a diagnosis or a mental health issue, it is a positive sign of ... empathy and responsibility toward environmental well-being. They only feel this distress because they care,” she explains (8). However, even if climate anxiety itself is a rational reaction, it can still weigh heavily on young minds. Persistent anxiety or despair can lead to symptoms like trouble sleeping, irritability, or difficulty focusing – similar to other forms of anxiety (8, 9). In some cases it can contribute to depression or hopelessness if children begin to feel that doom is inevitable.
Children who have personally experienced climate disasters are especially vulnerable to climate-related mental health impacts. A dramatic example close to home was the Fort McMurray wildfire in Alberta: after that 2016 fire and mass evacuation, over one-third of surveyed evacuees were found to show clinically significant signs of post-traumatic stress, anxiety or depression one year later (10). The Canadian Paediatric Society has warned that events like wildfires, heatwaves and floods can have serious long-term mental health effects on children – especially if families are displaced, lose their homes, or if a child’s safety and routine (school, community, health care) are disrupted (11). Even far less direct experiences can leave emotional scars. A child who watches news of a deadly hurricane might begin to worry, “Could that happen to us? Will we be okay?” They may not say anything, but the fear can take root in subtle ways – nightmares, clinging to parents, or newfound worries whenever it rains or storms.
Older youth often grapple not only with fear, but with feelings of injustice and betrayal. They know that climate change is a problem created over decades, largely by adults and industries, yet it is their generation and those to come who will live with the consequences. Imagine being 15 and hearing scientists say we have only a short window to act before irreversible damage is done – it can feel like an immense weight on young shoulders. Many youths feel anger or frustration that not enough is being done by those in power (9). In the global survey mentioned earlier, about two-thirds of young people agreed that governments are failing to protect them and future generations (3, 9). Canadian research likewise found that a majority of young people view our government’s response to climate change negatively, with many reporting feelings of betrayal by leaders (4, 5). It’s no surprise that some teens, in their most vulnerable moments, voice despair about the future – even saying things like they’re not sure if having a career or having children will be worthwhile in a damaged world. In fact, one Canadian survey found that 39% of youth were hesitant to have children of their own because of climate change (4, 5). These are heavy thoughts for young minds.
And yet, it’s important to remember that it’s not all doom and gloom in how young people feel. Alongside the anxiety and anger, many youth also feel motivated and hopeful when they engage with the issue. For example, in that Canadian study, 71% of young people still believed that together, we can do something to tackle climate change (5). Half believed that they themselves can be part of the solution (5). This sense of hope and agency often shines through when youth participate in climate action, such as community projects or student climate strikes. It shows that with support, kids can move from fear to feeling empowered. And that’s where parents have a crucial role to play: helping children navigate these churning emotions and find resilience and purpose amid the climate crisis.
The Parent’s Role in Fostering Resilience and Emotional Safety
Parents and caregivers are central in helping children weather the emotional storms that come with a changing climate. Our kids don’t need us to have all the answers about global warming – but they do need us to be their safe harbor as they process tough feelings. In a world that can sometimes feel out of control, children look to their parents for stability, honesty, and hope. How we respond to their climate fears can make a profound difference in whether those fears spiral into despair or develop into resilience.
First and foremost, children need to feel that it’s okay to talk about what they are feeling. Create an emotional safety zone at home for climate conversations. This means listening attentively and without judgment when your child brings up the topic, whether it’s a five-year-old asking about why the weather is so weird, or a teenager ranting about government inaction. Young people say they want to discuss these issues: a recent study found that 70% of teens and young adults wished people would talk more about climate-related feelings, and two-thirds wanted the older generations – parents and grandparents – to better understand their climate anxiety (12). What they don’t want is to be dismissed. Unfortunately, over half of youth in that study felt that when they do open up about climate fears, adults might ignore or belittle their concerns (12). As parents, we have to actively counteract that pattern by taking our children’s climate emotions seriously. Even if their worry seems overwhelming or their anger uncomfortable, avoid the urge to say something like “Don’t worry, it’ll all be fine” or “You’re overreacting.” Dismissing the feeling won’t make it go away – it will likely send it underground, where it can grow. Instead, validate their emotions: “I hear that you’re really scared about this. I get scared too.” Such words let your child know they’re not alone or “crazy” to feel as they do.
Being a source of calm and comfort is key. One expert advises that caregivers should aim to be a “safe, anchoring presence when the world feels out of control” for a child (8). This might mean managing your own tone and body language when discussing frightening climate news – it’s okay to show concern, but try to model coping by also showing resolve or optimism about solutions. Kids take cues from our reactions. If you respond to their worried questions with panic, they will likely absorb that panic. If instead you acknowledge the seriousness of the issue but in a steady, loving way, you communicate security. For example, you might say, “Yes, the earth is getting warmer and that can cause big problems. It is scary. But here’s what we’re doing at home to help, and here are some ways people around the world are working on it. We’re in this together.” You’re telling the truth while also reminding your child that they are supported and not helpless.
Honesty, adjusted to age-appropriate levels, builds trust. Children of any age deserve truthful answers to their questions about climate change (9). Renowned parenting educator Harriet Shugarman (author of How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change) emphasizes that if a child is asking, they are ready to hear an honest answer – just delivered in a way they can understand. Being truthful doesn’t mean you have to dive into terrifying detail; it means not lying about the problem. If your 7-year-old asks, “Can a tornado happen here?” you might respond, “Our area doesn’t usually get big tornadoes, but storms are getting stronger everywhere with climate change. It’s very unlikely we’ll see one like in the movie we watched. And we have plans to keep safe if bad weather ever happens.” This kind of answer validates the concern and provides reassurance grounded in fact. For a teenager who questions you on political action or lack thereof, it’s okay to admit frustration: “It’s true that progress has been slow. I sometimes feel angry about that too. But I believe things can change, and I support you in speaking up.” These candid conversations show your child that they can trust you with their worries. In turn, they learn that it’s safe to share fears rather than hold them inside.
Beyond talking and listening, parents play a crucial role in fostering resilience in the face of climate stress. Resilience doesn’t mean never feeling upset; it means being able to cope and bounce back. There are many ways to help a child build resilience to climate anxiety and grief. One powerful approach is to channel those emotions into action. As 18-year-old Anna Kernahan of Belfast put it, “I personally am motivated by fear to work on climate activism but it’s too much responsibility for young people to take on alone” (9). The message here is that while taking action can empower youth, they shouldn’t feel they’re bearing the weight alone – support from adults is essential. If your child is anxious about, say, the loss of pollinators, you could help them plant a butterfly-friendly garden or organize a small fundraiser for a bee conservancy. If they are upset about plastic pollution, perhaps join a community cleanup day together. These activities show tangibly that we can do something productive, which combats the sense of helplessness that fuels anxiety (6). Even simple family habits – recycling, reducing food waste, writing letters to elected officials – can give children a bit of agency. It’s not about solving climate change overnight, but about demonstrating constructive coping. Psychologists note that building a sense of community and action can help reduce the mental health impacts of climate change (6). As a parent, you might encourage your child to join an environmental club at school or a climate-focused youth group where they can meet others who share their concerns. Connecting with peers who get it helps kids realize they are part of a larger movement of caring people, not isolated voices crying out alone.
Another aspect of resilience is hope – not false reassurance that everything will magically be fixed, but realistic hope grounded in seeing progress and positive stories. Make a point to highlight hopeful developments to your children: new conservation successes, climate solutions being implemented, communities coming together to rebuild sustainably after disasters. Hope is not naïveté; it’s a survival trait. We want our kids to know that yes, climate change is serious, but there is hope because people are taking action. This perspective can protect them from the paralysis of doom. Many young people actually oscillate between worry and hope. Our job is to nurture that hope without minimizing the challenges ahead.
In the chapters ahead, we will delve deeper into practical strategies for parenting in the age of climate change – from age-appropriate communication techniques, to self-care for families, to ways of turning eco-anxiety into positive engagement. But the foundation starts here: understanding that climate emotions are real and valid, and recognizing the critical role of parents in helping young people navigate them. By fostering an environment of empathy, honesty, and support, you are already taking a vital step. You’re showing your children that their feelings about the planet matter, that they are not alone, and that together you can find a path forward. In the face of a global crisis, that sense of emotional safety and trust at home is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child. It will help them not only to cope, but to thrive with courage and resilience in this changing world.
Chapter Highlights
Climate change impacts children's emotional lives deeply, not just their environment.
Climate anxiety and eco-grief are rational, natural responses among young people.
Parents play a vital role as emotional anchors, not experts, in supporting climate emotions.
Open, validating conversations about climate fears build children's resilience.
Hope and action, not denial, are key to helping youth feel empowered, not overwhelmed.
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