“I Owe It to My Daughter”: How Parents Deal with the Climate Crisis. Psychodynamic Interviews with Parents Committed to Climate Protection

Abstract

Based on four interviews with parents committed to climate protection, it is shown how they deal with the existential threat posed by the climate crisis and how it affects their relationships with their children. It becomes apparent that these parents are profoundly unsettled by the climate crisis, because they are aware of their own responsibility for their children and future generations. The interviewees describe how much of a burden it is for them to deal with the ominous forecasts for the future without being able to simply ignore them–as many others do. They feel guilt toward their children about how they have lived their lives so far, wasting resources. Although they often feel helpless and powerless, they are also actively involved in the climate movement for the sake of their children, which gives them some hope.