The research was conducted by Climate Adapted Pathways for Education (CAPE Alliance), REAch2 Academy Trust, Northern Star Academies Trust and Leeds Trinity University in England, and Bishop’s University in Canada.

Published in JAMA Network Open, one of the world’s most respected medical journals, the study is the first to compare the emotional and psychological effects of arts-based versus arts-and-philosophy-based climate interventions in schools, showing that creativity combined with deep reflection can ease children’s anxiety related to climate change. 

Conducted across classrooms in England with 238 children aged 7-12, the study marks a turning point in the global conversation around climate change education: it’s no longer just a matter of delivering facts or sparking activism — it’s about mental resilience, emotional preparedness, and psychological care.  

Children in the study expressed both fear and hope, but many felt a personal responsibility for the state of the planet. The key difference came when the researchers paired awareness with deep reflection, allowing the children to ask: What kind of future do we want? What is our place in it? How do we cope when it feels out of our hands? 

The results showed that both creative and reflective interventions helped children engage with climate change, but only the combination of artistic expression and philosophical inquiry appeared to protect against increased eco-anxiety. 

Dr Leigh Hoath, Professor of Science Education at Leeds Trinity University and co-founder of the CAPE Alliance co-authored the study. She said: “Around the world, young people are increasingly aware that their futures are being shaped by a rapidly changing climate. But it’s not just awareness that’s growing — it’s anxiety, emotional distress, and deep uncertainty. What we now know, thanks to a groundbreaking Canada-England research partnership, is that how we teach children about climate change matters enormously for their mental health. 

“Children don't just need to learn about the climate crisis — they need structured, age-appropriate tools to think about it, to talk about it, and to emotionally process it. The collaboration between research institutions and schools in Canada and England shows what’s possible when climate education is treated not just as a policy obligation, but as a public health priority."  

The researchers are calling for climate education that recognises the need for psychological resilience, not just information delivery. This includes: 

• Embedding emotional literacy into climate curricula. 

• Equipping teachers with the professional development to facilitate reflective and creative dialogue. 

• Ensuring children are not burdened with responsibility but empowered with understanding. 

• Recognising that climate distress is real — and measurable — in young people as early as age 7.