Girls more anxious about climate change than boys, according to new research by UCL

New research published today has revealed girls are more likely to worry about climate change and engage more in teaching on the topic than boys, according to research led by UCL.

Researchers also found that children from lower socioeconomic groups are less likely to enjoy or value learning about climate change than their more advantaged peers.

In the report, published by the UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education, researchers examined experiences of pupils in English schools and their perceptions of climate change and sustainability education within and beyond the school curriculum.

When asked how they feel about climate change, 36 per cent of students said they worry ‘a lot’ or ‘all the time’ about what the world will be like in the future. A further 50 per cent reported they worry ‘a little’. Girls reported significantly higher levels of worry (44 per cent) than boys (27 per cent), but overall, when asked how climate change made them feel, 53 per cent of students selected ‘anxious’. When asked if they thought adults were doing enough to look after the environment, just 16 per cent agreed.

Professor Nicola Walshe (IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education & Society), executive director of UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education, said: “There is very little in-depth understanding of students’ perspectives of, and aspirations for climate change and sustainability education. These results form an incredibly important evidence base that we can use to better support schools and teachers.”

The UCL researchers surveyed 2,429 students (aged 11-14) from 30 English schools between March and May 2024 to investigate their experiences of learning about climate change and sustainability.

The report also identified an inadequate engagement with climate focused careers guidance in schools. The survey found that just 31 per cent of students felt that learning about climate change and sustainability might translate into job opportunities and fewer still (17 per cent) expressed interest in pursuing a sustainability related career. Among less advantaged students, only 14 per cent saw themselves embarking on a green career path.

Students did express a desire to learn more about climate change and sustainability at school, especially if it involved spending more time outside the classroom and among nature (73 per cent). However, there were further gender differences in the topics students were interested in.

Professor Nicola said: “Three quarters of the girls surveyed wanted to learn about how climate change impacts human health and wellbeing, compared to 60% of boys.

“We know climate anxiety is higher among girls, so a more holistic climate change education that addresses a broader range of areas, including health and wellbeing, may help mitigate young people’s worries.”  

The report makes five key recommendations to education policymakers and practitioners. It calls for:

– The development of green careers provision

– More opportunities for student engagement and action within schools

– Climate change and sustainability education to be embedded in all school subjects

– Students’ anxiety, hopelessness and anger to be explicitly addressed

– The extension of outdoor learning opportunities across the curriculum.