The Developmental Roots of Environmental Stewardship: Childhood and the Climate Change Crisis

Childhood presents heightened vulnerabilities and unique opportunities in the context of climate change. Even very young children view the environment as a moral concern. Furthermore, early life experiences can lay the groundwork for a lifetime of environmental stewardship. Exposure to nature and parental eco-friendly behaviors are each predictive of children's commitment to environmental engagement later in life. However, these early inclinations give way to decreasing environmental concern in adolescence. Research is beginning to shift from a framework that emphasizes children's status as victims of the climate change crisis to one that instead underscores their role as agents of change.