EDITORIAL Children and youth in the climate crisis Ann Sanson,1 Marco Bellemo2 BJPsych Bulletin (2021) 45, 205–209, doi:10.1192/bjb.2021.16 1Department of Paediatrics, University of Summary This editorial is co-written by a developmental psychologist and a young 2 Melbourne, Australia; School Strike For climate activist. We start by showing how the climate crisis is imposing a heavy Climate, Australia psychological burden on children and youth, both from experiencing climate-related Correspondence to Ann Sanson disasters and from the knowledge that worse is to come. We then describe the global (
[email protected]) movement of youth demanding urgent climate action. We conclude that health First received 23 Sep 2020, final revision 19 Jan 2021, accepted 28 Jan 2021 professionals can support young people in many ways, but particularly by supporting their capacity to take action, raising awareness about the impact of the climate crisis © The Authors 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of on youth mental and physical health, and taking action themselves to work for a the Royal College of Psychiatrists. This is secure climate future. an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Keywords Post-traumatic stress disorder; anxiety disorders; climate change; Commons Attribution licence (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4. childhood experience; developmental disorders. 0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The climate crisis poses an existential threat by the Global North, also referred to as high-income coun- tries, the minority world or the WEIRD nations (Western, Climate change is well underway and poses a critical threat educated, industrialised, rich democracies), comprising 12% to the future.