Friday 3 April 2020

Telling children the truth about climate change



It is the next generation, and the ones after that, that will have to live with the worst consequences of global warming, and it is therefore the duty of today’s adults to be completely straightforward and honest when it comes to telling today’s children about what they are likely to face.

There is a statistic that claims that one in seven British children hold their parents personally responsible – at least in part – for global warming. Perhaps the surprising thing is that the proportion is not even greater than that!

The important thing is for parents to have a good understanding themselves of all the issues, so that they can discuss them sensibly with their children and put everything they bring up into its proper context.

Perhaps the best thing a parent can encourage in their children is the need to examine not only the evidence but also the sources of that evidence.  There is an awful lot of misinformation about that is shoved out by people with personal agendas, or who are sponsored by organisations (such as fossil fuel companies) that have a vested interest in the world not taking climate change seriously.

It is no wonder that young people get confused. A parent can do a lot to dispel that confusion – just as long as they are not confused themselves!

© John Welford

1 comment:

  1. I like this blog. I think we should support the views of children and young people on climate. Too often supposed wiser heads cut their view off and declare them 'naive'.

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