Rising to the moment: meeting young people’s concerns about climate change

by Tamsin Morris, Press and Communications Officer

New research has revealed the depth of eco-anxiety and depression among young people. Led by Bath University in collaboration with five universities, the research questioned 10,000 16 and 25 year olds across 10 countries on their feelings about climate change. The results are shocking. Key findings include: three quarters of those questioned say that they thought the future was frightening; over half (56%) of those surveyed thought that humanity was doomed largely due to governments failing to respond adequately to the threat of climate change with two-thirds reported as feeling sad, afraid, anger, powerlessness, despair and grief. 

Other findings reveal that chronic stress over worsening severe weather events is increasing the risk of mental and ... Read more...

What the latest science means for COP26

The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in August, makes devastating reading. 1.5C temperature rise will be reached by 2040 – or even sooner.  And that will lead to more dramatic weather patterns and even faster global biodiversity loss – and with that, huge disruption to human life. In light of that, what does this mean for the commitments that must be made at COP26 in little over two months time? 

Clearly governments must make determined, decisive and life-changing decisions in light of these hard-hitting scientific findings. The cuts required to slow and eventually reverse climate change (and subsequent biodiversity loss) will mean a total change of economic systems from the fossil fuel industry. COP, therefore, must agree to much ... Read more...