Children and young people’s climate crisis activism–a perspective on long-term effects

Abstract

The year 2019 witnessed the gathering pace of a global climate movement, with millions of young people striking for climate action. While the contours of this activism are just beginning to emerge, the scale of the mobilisations to date suggest their consequences are likely to be profound–for participants, communities and the wider political environment. This paper looks to the literature on social movement consequences to consider the possible lasting effects of this climate activism for children and young people. In doing so, it seeks to advance more robust research engagement with the breadth of potential legacies, including those often overlooked or undervalued.