The Impact of Climate Change on Youth Discussed at International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development

Posted on July 29, 2024

 
The 27th biennial meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), held from 16 – 20 June 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal, featured a symposium dedicated to examining the impact of climate change on youth worldwide.
 
Among the esteemed presenters was Prof. Eugene Lee Davids from the Department of Psychology at the University of Pretoria, whose research focuses on the health and well-being of adolescents and emerging adults in South Africa.
 
 
Eugene Davids' study, a pivotal part of the symposium, delved into the repercussions of climate change on the health and well-being of emerging adults in South Africa. His research highlighted climate change's nuanced and multifaceted effects on this vulnerable demographic. The data from the study tell the story of how fear often emerged as an outcome of climate change that resulted from turning a blind eye to the actions which contribute to climate change. The fear experienced, termed climate anxiety, led to an awareness of the decisions that emerging adults engaged in and promoted pro-environmental decision-making and action. Eugene provided a comprehensive understanding of how environmental changes influence young South Africans' physical and mental health. The symposium also featured insightful presentations by Federica Papa from the University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro in Italy and Teresa Pereira from the University of Minho in Portugal. These presentations collectively underscored the global nature of the issue, presenting diverse perspectives and findings from different regions.
 
The ISSBD meeting in Lisbon served as a vital platform for researchers from around the world to share their findings and collaborate on solutions to the pressing issues related to development across the lifespan. The contributions by Eugene not only shed light on the specific challenges in South Africa but also enriched the global dialogue on youth well-being in the face of environmental changes.
 
You are welcome to contact Prof Davids for more information on his research at [email protected]
 
 
 
- Author article upload: Juanita Haug, Psychology, UP

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