Climate science, not climate silence

We are more than 150 climate and mental health researchers, psychologists, educators, doctors, young people and community leaders who work at the intersection of climate change and youth mental health.

There has been a rise in misinformation suggesting that climate education is causing climate anxiety in pre-adolescents and adolescents in Australia. In May 2025, the Institute of Public Affairs released a report claiming that “alarmist” climate education is causing mental distress in pre-adolescent Australians. It recommends scaling back, or even removing, climate education from primary schools (and potentially secondary schools) to protect young people. But that claim is built on shaky ground: it misquotes research, ignores context, and most of all, misses the point. 

Climate education isn’t the problem. When done well, climate education doesn’t alarm, it empowers young people, equipping them with the skills to thrive in a changing climate. This is why we are calling for safe, accurate climate science education, not climate silence, to help build the emotional resilience, agency and hope of the next generation.

We agree: Climate anxiety in young Australians is real and rising.

There is a problem - young Australians are becoming increasingly anxious about climate change. A 2023 study found that 67% of young Australians are concerned about climate change (Orygen 2023). 

This anxiety is not irrational, but a valid emotional response to a very real crisis. Across our sunburnt country, young Australians are already experiencing more frequent and severe droughts, flooding rains and other extreme weather events, and will continue to do so in the decades ahead. They’ve seen homes destroyed, species lost, food prices soar, and political leaders delay critical decisions. Contrary to what the IPA report suggests, this is not a future,  invisible or abstract threat: 84% of Australians have been directly affected by climate disasters since 2019 (Climate Council 2024). Avoiding discussion of young people’s lived reality does more harm than good. Harm is caused by failing to validate and address real concerns, not by talking about them (Climate Psychology Alliance 2025).

We reject: Climate science is the cause of climate anxiety.

Climate anxiety or ‘climate distress’ (which is more accurately used to avoid the mistake of referring to reasonable and rational responses to climate change as if they were diagnostic of a mental disorder) is not caused by climate science, just as cancer research does not cause cancer anxiety. Research shows that what distresses young people is the reality of climate change, its escalating impacts, the failure of leadership to act, and the failure of adults to listen to their concerns (Sanson & Dubicka 2022, Jones & Lucas 2023; Orygen 2023)

Young people are already absorbing information about climate change through social media, news, family conversations, schoolyards, and lived experience of climate disasters. Schools offer a rare and valuable opportunity to correct and ground that information in facts, build community and emotional resilience, and provide constructive pathways forward. 

Young people are asking for it themselves, as we have recently learned in a series of workshops with young Australians from every state and territory (Connecting Climate Minds). When asked what they wanted for their future, young Australians asked for more, and not less, climate education, that tells the truth and equips them to act for the future they want (Curious Climate Schools).

We agree: Climate education must be developmentally appropriate and emotionally safe.

We agree that climate education must be improved. The curriculum is inconsistent, siloed, not solutions-focused and often lacks guidance for teachers to deliver it safely or constructively (Tytler & Freebody 2023). Many teachers acknowledge they lack training and support (Beasy et al. 2023).

We believe emotionally safe, age-appropriate climate education is both possible and necessary. Developmental psychology and education research shows that climate education can be gradually introduced across primary and secondary school in age-appropriate ways that align with young people’s cognitive and emotional abilities, building understanding and resilience over time (Tytler & Freebody 2023). 

Yes, climate change is confronting, but so are topics like death or illness, and we don’t shield children from those. There is strong evidence that children, even in primary school, are capable of engaging with complex topics when supported by honest, developmentally appropriate teaching (Cancer Research). In fact, avoidance, rather than explanation, can lead to greater confusion, fear and anxiety.

We reject: Climate silence as the solution.

The solution to climate distress is not less education. It’s better education. We need climate education which is accurate, holistic and psychologically safe that:

• provides comprehensive, developmentally appropriate climate science, grounds local environmental experiences into global systems, and spotlights the many climate solutions to build comprehension, hope and agency in young people;
• upholds the cross-curriculum priority of sustainability and embeds climate education across subjects so that technical knowledge is scaffolded with growing skills across multiple domains;
• integrates trauma-aware, mental health-informed approaches that help young people process their emotions, build coping tools, take action and find support;
• invests in teacher training, curriculum reform, and community-wide education to build an ecosystem of support; and 
• honours First Nations knowledge, which has sustained communities and Country for over 50,000 years, and continues to offer guidance on adaptation, care and collective resilience.

Our ask: Let’s educate and empower generations of Australians.

We need a national commitment to accurate, developmentally appropriate and psychologically safe climate education. Our goal must be to give young people the tools to understand the world around them, manage complex emotions, and take meaningful action for their future and communities.

Climate change is the defining challenge of this generation. We know our children are facing a tough future, and we know that preparation is key to successful adaptation. What young people need is the knowledge, emotional resilience and support to weather the climate reality. It is also what they want. Let’s deliver safe climate science, not climate silence.

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SIGNATORIES:

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Catherine Falco, Psychologist, The University of Sydney

Katherine Knight, Child Psychiatrist

Associate Professor Caroline Gao, Biostatistician, Environmental Epidemiologist, Orygen, University of Melbourne

Professor Deborah Lupton, Professor, UNSW Sydney

Dr Tim Sharp, Chief Happiness Officer, The Happiness Institute 

Dr Chloe Lucas, Senior Lecturer - Climate Change Communication, University of Tasmania

Professor Gretta Pecl, Professor, University of Tasmania

Associate Professor Stuart Corney, Associate Professor, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Heather Catchpole, QUESTACON 

Dr Emma Pharo Little, University of Tasmania

Georgia Monaghan, Lawyer & Co-Founder, ecomind

Courtney Kovac, Mental Health Educator & Co-Founder, ecomind

Professor Amy Lykins, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of New England

Benjamin Viola, Scientist - Biological Oceanography, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies - University of Tasmania

Karen Grant, Registered Counsellor, Outdoor Counselling

Professor Helen Phillips, Professor of Oceanography, University of Tasmania

Professor Sean Tracey, Professor, University of Tasmania

Dr Coral Rowston, Director, Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland

Associate Professor Fiona Charlson, A/Prof, University of Queensland

Coco Venaglia, Yes 2 Renewables/ Friends of the Earth

Dr Malcolm Johnson, Huon Valley Council

Ruby Mitchell, Senior Campaigner, Grata Fund

Sally Giblin, Climate Creative, Solutionist and Storyteller, Be The Future

Kim Beasy, Senior Lecturer (Curriculum and Pedagogy), School of Education, University of Tasmania

Catherine Forde, Environmental Specialist

Roger Cohen, Founder & CEO, C2Zero

Dr Anna Seth, MBBS FRACGP DCH DRANZCOG Adv General Practitioner , Doctors for The Environment Australia 

Bronwyn David, Asset Manager

Dr Katherine Klamka, Paediatrician, The Children's Hospital at Westmead 

Dr Josephine Topp, Doctor -Psychiatrist

Sophia Volzke, PhD Student, University of Tasmania - Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Dr Felicity Rea, MBBS FRACGP

Justine Barrett, PhD Student - Marine Debris, UTAS

Dr Kristine Barnden, FRANZCOG

Dr Geoffrey Bradshaw, MBBS FRANZCP

Dr Emily J Flies, Senior Lecturer in Environment and Sustainable Communities, University of Tasmania

Dr Tara Crandon, Doctor of Philosophy, Psychology

Dr Arjun von Caemmerer, Doctor and Yoga Teacher, Hopkins Street Clinic / Hobart School of Iyengar Yoga

Kara Spence, Teacher, Nature. Be in it.

Dr Alice Stoneman, General Practitioner

Elizabeth Haworth, Dr /FFPHM UK/ Senior Research Fellow, Menzies Institute for Medical Research

Colin D Butler, Honorary Professor, Australian National University

Professor Robert Morris-Nunn, AM Adjunct Professor, School of Architecture, Circa Morris-Nunn Architects

Victoria Jackson, Consultant Psychiatrist, FRANZCP, Tasmanian Health Service

Debbi Delaney

Nic Seton, CEO, Parents for Climate

Brigette Wright, Marine Climate Change Researcher, University of Tasmania, Centre for Marine Socioecology

Alastair Richardson, PhD, University of Tasmania 

Alex Horton, CEO- Climate Education, econome 

Dr Jonathan Stark, Dr/Marine Ecology/Climate Change

Amy Blain, Chair, Peoples Climate Assembly

Sally Mayo, Early Years Teacher, Lansdowne Crecent Primary School

Dr Megan Kalucy, Doctor, Psychiatrist, UNSW

Dr Hugh Morgan, Consultant Psychiatrist , Mindcare Centre

Dr Katitza Marinkovic Chavez, Climate Superpowers, Child and Youth Climate Wellbeing, University of Melbourne

Dr Asta Audzijonyte, Senior Lecturer in Ecological Modelling, University of Tasmania

Dr Alison Blazey, Addiction Psychiatrist

Canice Curtis, Accredited Mental Health Social Worker

Dr Matthew Barton, Psychiatrist, Orudra Mindspace

Kerin Booth, Secretary, Meander Area Residents and Ratepayers Association

Dr Virginia Young, Dr International Forest Climate Programme, The Australian Rainforest Conservation Society

Dr Tania Leimbach, Lecturer, UNSW

Nicholas Cummings

Dr Elizabeth Elliott, Doctor

Dr Katie Lee, Lecturer, Visual Arts, Climate Aware Creative Practice Network Member, Deakin University 

Dr Bronwyn Gresham, Psychology for a Safe Climate

Dr Piper Rodd, Doctor, Deakin University

Dr Trevor McCandless, Doctor, Deakin University 

Dr Brandi Fox, Doctor, Deakin University 

Dr Kate Chealuck, Lecturer in Science Education, Deakin University

Professor Russell Tytler, Professor of Science Education, Deakin University

Dr Tracey Ollis, Associate Professor, Adult, Vocational & Applied Learning, Deakin University

Dr Jacqui Peters, Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, Deakin University

Kale Sartor, PhD Student in Anthropology, Deakin University 

Professor Jo O'Mara, Professor of Education, Deakin University

Jackie Turnure, Impact Producer, Stay Tuned to Our Planet (STTOP)

Dr Kate Bendall, GP

Dr Blanche Verlie, PhD, Author of Learning to Live with Climate Change: From Anxiety to Transformation, University of Sydney

Kavita Peterson, Deakin University

Christie Wilson, Manager Climate and Mental Health, Psychology for a Safe Climate

Dr Catherine Pendrey, Chair Climate and Environmental Specific Interest Group, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners 

Anna Wylie, Secondary Teacher, University Lecturer, Deakin University 

Andy Szollosi, President, Tasmanian Wilderness Guides Association

Dr Joseph Paul Ferguson, Deakin University

Dr Alicia Flynn, Dr. /PhD in Education (Place-responsive climate education), Deakin University 

Vivienne Pearce OAM, Vice President, Australian Association for Environmental Education

Dr Llewellyn Wishart, Lecturer in Education (Early Childhood), Deakin University

Dr Owen Forbes, PhD in Statistics & Youth Mental Health, Ecology + Environmental Scientist

Andrew Bray, National Director, RE-Alliance

Kitty Walker, Founder, Queenscliff Climate Action Now (QCAN)

Dr Anne Watson, Convenor, Renew Tas South

Dr Diane Macdonald, Researcher, Black Dog Institute

Dr Simon Bradshaw, Fellow, The Climate Council

Dr Sue Shearman, General Practitioner

Associate Professor Susie Burke, Adjunct Associate Professor/Environmental Psychologist, University of Queensland

Dr Daniella Watson, Health Psychologist , Imperial College London

Professor Maria Ojala, Professor, PhD in Psychology, University of Oulu, Finland

Dr Chloe Watfern, Postdoctoral Fellow,Black Dog Institute

Kal Glanznig, Program Manager & Co-Creator, Blue Minds

Professor Lesley Hughes, Professor Emerita, Macquarie University

Dr Clare Smith, GP with special interest in child and adolescent psychiatry

Dr Priya Vaughan, Research Fellow, Black Dog Institute

Madeline McShane, Campaigner, Environment Tasmania

Dr Shaun Watson MBBS RACP PhD, Director, Doctors for the Environment

Dr Jessica Newberry Le Vay, Climate Change and Health Policy Fellow, Climate Cares Centre, Imperial College London

Dr Cybele Dey, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and UNSW Researcher, Doctors for the Environment & UNSW

Dr Anthony Hull

Dr Nicoles Bartos, BA MBBS FRACGP

Dr Katherine Ilbery, MBBS FRACGP

Dr Jill Floyd, MBBS RANZCP MPM FPOA BA

Dr Leonie Aitkin, MBBS MRCGP (UK)

Dr Lai Heng Foong, BMBS FACEM MHS BA (Hons)

Professor Margaret Schnitzler, MBBS PhD FRACS

Associate Professor Caryl Barnes, MBBS, FRANZCP, MD

Dr Jill Gordon, AM, MBBS, PhD, FRACGP, FRANZCP (Hon)

Dr Fiona Foo, MBBS, FRACP

Dr Jocelyn Rikard-Bell, BA Comm MBBS FRACGP

Dr Emma Skowronski, MBBS FRACGP DCH DRANZCOG

Dr Ann Sanson, Co-Convenor, Developmental Scientists for Climate Action (DevSCA.org)

Corey Peterson, Chief Sustainability Officer, University of Tasmania

Dr Kylie Wrigley, Edith Cowan University

Jaime Yallup Farrant, Convenor, Climate Justice Union WA

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We note that some signatories asked not to be publicly named.