Climate Heats Up Youth Across the Political Spectrum

By Jeremy D. Wortzel, MD, MPhil, MPH, Joshua R. Wortzel, MD, MPhil, MS(Ed), and the Climate Committee at the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry.

In this presidential election season, a number of anxieties are on peoples’ minds. Distress about climate change is a central concern for many, driven by soaring temperatures and record-breaking natural disasters such as hurricanes Helene and Milton, which have caused population displacement and billions of dollars of damage in the United States alone.

New Evidence of Young People's Climate Anxiety

In a study published in October 2024 in the journal Lancet Planetary Health, nearly 16,000 young people from across the United States were surveyed about their climate-related emotions, thoughts, and beliefs. Eighty-five percent identified being at least “moderately” worried about climate change, and 58 percent reported being “very” or “extremely” worried. Forty-three percent told investigators that their climate distress affected their mental health, and 38 percent said it affected their daily life and functioning.

The study also found that, despite what the news may suggest, climate distress significantly affected youth from both major political parties—these concerns transcend politics.

How Can Adults Help?

Posts on Psychology Today and other sources have put forth various strategies to help youth navigate the complex emotions associated with the climate crisis. Research increasingly highlights the significant and nuanced roles environmental activism and engagement with nature can play in mitigating climate anxiety. How climate change is introduced to individuals during their formative years can profoundly influence their ongoing relationship with this issue.

Children's Literature in Climate Education

Children's literature often serves as an initial touchpoint for young people engaging with climate topics. For many, Dr. Seuss’s environmental classic, The Lorax, remains a powerful and unifying symbol.

However, for some, such narratives may inadvertently place the responsibility for addressing climate change on the shoulders of the youngest generation, conveying an overwhelming and isolating message.

In response, recent efforts have focused on creating more developmentally appropriate narratives for children. For instance, Magination Press, a division of the American Psychological Association, recently published a new children’s workbook that addresses climate change with sensitivity, emphasizing empowerment, psychoeducation, and developmental suitability.

Additionally, the Climate Committee at the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry produced Coco's Fire: Changing Climate Anxiety into Climate Action, a children’s book that depicts a squirrel family transforming a young squirrel’s climate fear into proactive engagement by joining a supportive and action-oriented community. This book has recently been adapted into an engaging animation, enhancing its accessibility and impact for diverse audiences.

These efforts reflect a growing understanding of the need to present climate change in ways that foster resilience and positive action among young people, rather than inducing fear or a sense of helplessness.

The Need for More Research

While there is initial progress in the creation of materials to support parents in helping their children with climate distress, much work remains. For example, it is still unclear which youth are most at risk of climate distress.

Some evidence shows that Black and Latinx Americans are two to four times as likely as White Americans to want to talk about climate distress in therapy. Preliminary data suggest that those with higher levels of generalized anxiety are more likely to experience climate distress.

Although recent summaries of existing findings about climate distress are available, a key theme is the need for more research. Most importantly, few studies exist on how parents and adult caregivers can best support children who have climate distress. The development of interventions and more psychoeducational tools aimed at this population is the next big frontier.

Get Involved

Ultimately, climate change is a crisis requiring systemic action. Most young people want and need adults to step up and do more to address the problem. GAP’s Climate Committee recommends talking to the young people in one’s life about climate change, to roll up one’s sleeves and be a role model by getting involved with research and activism. Most pressingly, it is recommended to get out and vote.