Audience: Youth

People who trust corporations less are more likely to participate in climate marches. This research from Germany surveyed 600 people, made up largely of younger people. It found that people who trust corporations less, trust their friends more, engage in more pro-environmental behaviors, and are more concerned about climate participate in climate marches more often; women also participate more than men. About 25% of people said they participate at least “sometimes.” About 6% said they participate in climate marches “often.”

This deck from polling firm Global Strategy Group compiles recent public opinion findings on climate and clean energy issues, including the top-testing messaging and language to proactively talk about climate and health, economic impacts, and environmental justice as well as guidance on how to respond to attacks.
(This deck was collected by the Environmental Polling Consortium. If you would like to learn more about the EPC and receive weekly polling insights, please contact epc@partnershipproject.org)

“Young people don’t need a degree to fight for the future.” These words were spoken by Mishka Banuri, a young climate activist from Utah. This is the sentiment echoed by young people all across, not only the country, but the world. Alongside this statement, we also claim that young people don’t need a paid job in a nonprofit organization nor credibility or professionality to change the world and restore our future.

Using humor in climate change communication can be persuasive to young audiences. A humorous video about climate change made survey respondents less fearful and more likely to perceive grave risks from climate change. However, humor did not increase intentions to engage in activism. Humor did not have any effect on older than their teens or early twenties. The rest of this resource replicated previous research and found no effects of humor or a threatening video on risk perceptions or intentions to engage in activism.

Certain organizing strategies can allow activists to develop leadership skills in different ways. In Australia, the organization School Strike for Climate (SS4C) has generated more involvement among high school students in the climate movement. SS4C has particularly employed some tactics such as “peer learning, mentoring, learning by doing, confrontation, reflective spaces and training” to allow new high school activists to develop leadership skills. SS4C used movement tactics such as mobilizing, organizing, and lobbying politicians, and these different avenues for involvement also allowed new activists to engage in different ways to develop different skills, and lead others in doing them. These different tactics also have different strengths and weaknesses in facilitating leadership development through their execution.