Complexities of Young People’s Climate Change Meanings and Emotions for Motivating Climate Action: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Anthropogenic climate change and the related disasters pose a real and urgent threat to the human population. As the upcoming leaders of the world, young people will be among those most seriously affected by these climate hazards, and it is vital to have their engagement in disaster risk management to ensure the health and safety of the planet and its ecosystems, including human life. Emerging research is highlighting the role of climate literacy and emotions for motivating climate action. However, little is understood regarding climate emotions, and much of the current literature does not explore the experiences of young people. It is this research gap that is explored in this thesis. Using a psychological lens based on Lazarus theory of emotion, a scoping review methodology was used to achieve three objectives. The first objective was to explore the ways in which climate change meaning is developed. The second objective was to understand the range of climate change emotions experienced, and what factors might influence these. Finally, the third objective was to investigate the relationships among climate change meanings, emotions, and motivation towards climate actions. Through a process of reflective thematic analysis, this study highlighted various findings. First is the role of climate meaning and how this influences climate emotions, both positive and negative. Second is the vital role of climate emotions, which can be activating or deactivating emotions, directly influencing motivation towards climate action. And finally, this study has highlighted that there are complex relationships among the four concepts of meaning, emotion, motivation and action, which can be further complicated through factors such as gender. Summarising these findings, this study contributes a basis for a practical guide to support young people to engage in climate action while maintaining their mental health. This guide includes four practical elements which include affective education, active learning, connection with nature and connection to others. Through this study, this scoping review has provided a map for designing future research to inform the development of tools, policies and strategies to offer better education, build psychosocial resilience, build capacity and ultimately mobilize and encourage the youth population that clearly wants to be heard in the global climate change arena.