From Straight Arrow · · 1m 50s
How worry over a warming planet is reshaping parenthood plans
Climate anxiety pushes young Americans to delay or avoid having children.
In brief
Climate anxiety pushes young Americans to delay or avoid having children. 52% of young Americans are hesitant to have children due to climate change concerns, as birth rates fall to 10.7 per 1,000 people in 2024. Originally reported by Straight Arrow.
Eileen McGinnis' life shift
Eileen McGinnis' son Isaac turned 3 1/2 in 2018 when she read the IPCC report warning of climate crisis.
“The report’s foreword says that without urgent action to reduce emissions before 2030, "global warming will surpass 1.5 degrees c in the following decades, leading to irreversible loss of the most fragile ecosystems, and crisis after crisis for the most vulnerable people and societies."”
Climate anxiety grows
58% of young americans are extremely worried about climate change, with 85% at least moderately concerned.
“A 2024 study in The Lancet Planetary Health surveyed a representative sample of 16,000 americans between 16 and 25 years old, finding that 58% are extremely worried about climate change.”
Birth rates decline
U.s. birth rate fell from 18.4 per 1,000 people in the 1970s to 10.7 per 1,000 in 2024.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks the birth rate as the number of live births per 1,000 people in the population. In the 1970s, the birth rate was around 18.4. By 2019, it had fallen to 11.4 and slipped further to 10.7 in 2024, the most recent year the cdc has made data available.”
Hesitancy to have children
52% of young people are hesitant to have children due to climate anxiety.
“The study found 52% of young people are "hesitant to have children."”
Climate anxiety impact
Young adults feel climate change will affect their children's future more than their own.
“For a lot of them it’s a kind of background concern about what to expect for the future, said susan clayton, a psychologist and professor at the college of wooster in ohio, and author of the lancet study. "They’re going to be facing more of the consequences than people who won’t be alive in 2050 or 2060."”
Parents' climate community
Eileen McGinnis founded the Parents' Climate Community in 2019 to address climate anxiety among parents.
“In 2019, she started a group that would eventually become the parents' climate community on meetup.com.”
Community growth
The Parents' Climate Community reaches 1,500 to 2,000 families annually through events and outreach.
“The Parents’ Climate Community officially incorporated as a nonprofit in 2024, and mcginnis said its events reach 1,500 to 2,000 families each year.”
Climate mental health
Climate anxiety is becoming a growing focus for mental health professionals and nonprofits.
“The field is still very much a nascent field, but five years ago it was an even smaller field, said sarah newman, founder and executive director of the nonprofit climate mental health network.”
Isaac's involvement
Isaac, 11, created a solar-powered puppet for an art show promoting renewable energy.
“In 2024, the Parents’ Climate Community commissioned a local artist to work with a group of kids to create a 10-foot-tall puppet with a gold sun head and a bedazzled white gown promoting solar power for an art show in downtown austin.”
Long-term impact
Climate anxiety affects decisions about having children for generations to come.
“Climate anxiety "really does have this sort of multi-generational effect," said laura carter robinson, a clinical psychologist.”
AI and climate fears
Rapid AI development adds to climate anxiety, with many worried about the future of their children.
“There are so many sources of uncertainty, and of course ai has risen to the top of the list, or near the top of the list, for a lot of people, said susan clayton.”
Parenting paradox
Parents face the dilemma of raising children in a climate crisis while balancing their own worries.
“You’re so slammed as a caregiver, day to day, with bedtime routines and all the things you’re juggling, said mcginnis.”
Future of climate action
Young people and parents are working together to address climate change through community action.
“Seeing him just really taking ownership of this, and really just enjoying these interactions, you know, that was a really powerful moment to me, said mcginnis.”
What's next
Climate anxiety will continue to shape family decisions as the planet warms.
“The field is still very much a nascent field, but five years ago it was an even smaller field, said sarah newman.”
What matters most
52% of young Americans are hesitant to have children due to climate change concerns, as birth rates fall to 10.7 per 1,000 people in 2024.
