Climate emotions in early childhood : a conceptual framework for research, intervention, and policy action

Abstract

This paper introduces a comprehensive conceptual framework for understanding and addressing climate emotions in early childhood research, policy and practice, while supporting children’s emotional well-being in the face of environmental change. Recognising the growing psychological impact of the climate crisis on young children, the framework posits that climate emotions are shaped by four interdependent domains: Neurodevelopmental/Emotional Regulation Capacities, Caregiver/Educator Co-regulation, Symbolic/Imaginative Mediation, and Sociocultural/Environmental Climate Narratives. The framework moves beyond fragmented and often pathologising concepts like ‘climate anxiety’ and ‘eco-anxiety’ by offering a holistic, developmentally-sensitive view of both adaptive and maladaptive emotional responses. It directly addresses the absence of an integrated, developmentally specific, and cross-system framework for children up to age eight, a gap in the existing climate emotion models. Finally, the framework is translated into actionable policy and intervention strategies for researchers, clinicians, educators, and policymakers, arguing that a systems-level approach is essential to cultivate resilience and promote healthy development in the face of the global climate crisis.