Educational and developmental psychologists take action in response to the climate crisis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective The climate crisis is the defining issue of our time. Educational and developmental psychologists can make clear and important contributions to addressing this existential threat. The articles in the Climate Crisis Special Issue take on the issue of climate change from multiple angles, with varied populations, using different research methods and theoretical frameworks. The special issue makes clear the important role psychologists have to play in addressing the climate crisis. Method This commentary was conducted by reviewing 10 empirical contributions to this Special Issue. Themes that cut across multiple articles are discussed. Results The themes are identity, thinking and reasoning, and how emotions guide our actions on the complex socio-scientific topic of climate change. Conclusion The topics explored are mainstay issues within the discipline and show the relevance of many psychological constructs to the study of teaching, learning, and communicating about climate change. A shift evident within these pages is the grounding of climate science instruction within the socio-political context. There are opportunities for educational and developmental psychologists to bring their expertise to bear on this critically important topic. These articles illustrate a path forward.