Abstract
This paper explores the characteristics that make young adolescents (12–13-year olds) ideal ‘change agents’ in the climate science communication arena. We argue that this age group is at a pivotal age for cultivating public opinion, broadening awareness of the science and leveraging this knowledge to promote climate-friendly policy and governance. We examine the physiological and social characteristics that make young adolescents such an ideal age group. These characteristics involve intellectual development, cultivation of self-determination, and emergence of the adolescent into society—and how these characteristics can be utilised to create better communication and education tools, methods and strategies. We hope that this paper will help educators and communicators ensure climate science communication is tailored to be cost-effective, accurately designed and appropriately scaled to this key demographic. This work contributes to climate science communication and advances existing understanding of climate science communication frameworks for this specific audience.
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Harker-Schuch, I. (2019). Why Is Early Adolescence So Pivotal in the Climate Change Communication and Education Arena?. In: Leal Filho, W., Hemstock, S. (eds) Climate Change and the Role of Education. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32898-6_16
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