Climate crisis mitigation and adaptation: educational and developmental psychology’s responsibility in helping face this threat

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives Human activities have caused major impacts on Earth’s climate systems. Aptly called the climate crisis, severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts are occurring around the globe. Complementary multidisciplinary strategies that will result in successful mitigation of and adaptation to Earth’s rapidly changing climate are needed, now more than ever. Education and human development play, and will continue to play, a fundamental role in mitigating and adapting to this crisis. Method This special issue aimed to present educational and developmental research addressing the climate crisis. The included papers emerged from a call to a communities of researchers investigating relations between humans and Earth’s climate. All articles in this special issue underwent a process of robust peer review to ensure that only high-quality research was included. Results A total of twelve articles are included in this climate crisis special issue, showcasing educational and developmental psychology research that help address the current global climate crisis from the perspectives of mitigation and adaptation. Conclusions These articles present a meaningful array of findings from many who are doing important research about climate change understanding and action. This climate crisis special issue reflects what the community can do when collaboration is more purposeful, sustained, and systematic.