Experiences in Environmental Education With Young People An Overview

In recent decades, environmental health has become a significant public and policy issues. While adults often show cognitive dissonance towards environmental issues (EIs), young people are most likely to become angry and demand more information. Despite sharing commonalities, young people are not homogeneous; their cognitive and emotional abilities vary by developmental stage, affecting their attitudes towards climate change. Like adults, young people react differently to climate change, influencing their daily pro-environmental behaviour and perceived well-being. Thus, climate threats are not primarily about self-centred concerns but about the well-being of others, such as future generations, people in developing countries, and nature. These concerns can, in the worst case, turn into eco-anxiety, a phenomenon that can be a deterrent factor for pro-environmental behaviour adoption. Education is a key factor in moving towards a sustainable future. Formal and non-formal approaches should be considered. This chapter focuses on youth responses to climate change and explores educational tools that can be used to promote pro-environmental behaviour. The goal of this chapter is to analyse the issues surrounding EIs and examine which educational tools can be used to promote pro-environmental behaviour.