Abstract
Dealing with climate change and its effects and finding a way to respond to it can be seen as one of the most pressing challenges of our time. In the face of this far-reaching global development, the so-called “Generation Z” is currently facing particular challenges to prove itself in a world which is experienced as volatile, uncertain, complex and full of ambiguities. The paper focuses on the overarching question of how young people of this age group deal with this challenge and to what individual behavioral goals are being achieved. In a quasi-experimental study, N = 2219 German students aged 12 to 18 years from schools with different pedagogical focuses were surveyed with questionnaires. The constructs included personal, systemic and social resources, environmental knowledge, attitudes towards sustainability and environmental behavior. Descriptive and multivariate analyses show that students are very sensitive to sustainability issues. The data provides a differentiated insight into the relationship between attitudes and behavior and shows that young people experience similarities and discrepancies in their own internal and external dealings with the climate catastrophe. Implications for education, social work and politics can be derived from this understanding.
Presenters
Janne FenglerProfessor, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg Stefanie Greubel
Professor, Vice-Rector, Department of Education, Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Sustainable Development for a Dynamic Planet: Lessons, Priorities, and Solutions
KEYWORDS
Generation Z, Sustainability, Ambiguity, Knowledge, Adolescents, Attitude, Behavior, Pupil, School
