Analysis of children's questions on climate change reveals that they are most concerned about how to take action

Abstract

Children across the world are facing physical, emotional, and social impacts of climate change. Despite burgeoning scientific and political climate discourse, the voices and opinions of children are underrepresented, as previous research has focused on the opinions of adults. This lack of representation contributes to feelings of disempowerment and betrayal. We investigate children's priorities for climate knowledge, reporting on questions asked by approximately 1,500 Australian school students as part of a climate literacy engagement project. They reveal remarkable depth of consideration about climate change, with a stronger focus on impacts and action than on scientific causes. “What can we do?” was the core concern of 40% of questions, which often emphasized individual responsibility. Urgency and frustration were evident in questions about climate impacts posing an existential threat to life. Findings demonstrate the importance of considering children's valid concerns when making decisions that affect their education, well-being, and future.