Adolescents and Young Adults’ Participation in Pro-Environmental Movements: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Climate change is a reality that can no longer be ignored, so much so that combating climate change and its impact is one of the main goals of the UN Agenda 2030. Youths, albeit the main victims of climate change, are often excluded from decision-making processes on sustainable actions. More and more young people are joining collective pro-environmental movements, raising their voices against the current inadequate sustainable policies and claiming to be the main actors of change. However, pro-environmental collective actions are often judged negatively by public opinion, diminishing their effectiveness and potentially impacting youth participation. In light of this, it is critical to understand the individual, contextual and relational aspects that lead young people to engage with these movements. The present study aimed to systematically review the existing literature on factors that might promote youth participation in pro-environmental movements. According to the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a literature search of three databases (PsycINFO, ProQuest, and SCOPUS). Moreover, we deepened our research by focusing on two relevant theoretical models on collective actions, the Social Identity Model of Collective Action and the Social Identity Model of Pro-Environmental Action. After the screening and the eligibility phases, 11 articles (12 studies) were included. Most of the selected studies adopted a cross-sectional quantitative design. The results revealed individual and relational factors involved in promoting youths’ involvement in pro-environmental movements. To the aim of deepening young people’s pro-environmental activism, findings highlighted the need to consider personal and social drivers together. Limitations of the study, future directions, and practical implications are discussed.

Keywords:

• Climate change
• pro-environmental movements
• activism
• adolescents
• young adults

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The screening protocol adopted in phase one is available at: https://osf.io/ycz2t/?view_only=def38b1810834608b1aa5bc717727352

Notes

1 Participants up to the age of 30 (included) were considered young adults in accordance with Arnett (2000).

2 The decision to set the search a year before publication is dictated by the intention to include any references to the model prior to publication and/or any preprints.

3 In Nairn (2019) only one participant was 18 years old. He just completed high school and declared his intention to enroll in university.

Additional information

Funding

Luciano Romano was supported with a research contract co-funded by the European Union - PON Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020 [D7-G-D0718-1] pursuant to Article 24, paragraph 3, letter a), of Law n. 240 of 30 December 2010 and subsequent amendments and supplements, and to the Ministerial Decree n. 1062 of 10 August 2021 [CUP: H85F21001380003].

Notes on contributors

Luciano Romano

Luciano Romano is a researcher in developmental and educational psychology at the Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome. His research focuses on risk and protective factors in the school adjustment of adolescents and young adults and environmental education.

Claudia Russo

Claudia Russo is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome. Her research interests focuses on value development and change, adolescence, prosociality, and family relationships.

Thomas Edward Gladwin

Thomas Edward Gladwin has a background in psychological science and cognitive neuroscience. He has worked on models of cognitive control and automatic processes; the psychometric improvement of implicit measures; and mental health and clinical interventions. He currently works as a researcher in the private sector and as an independent researcher.

Angelo Panno

Angelo Panno is an associate professor of social psychology at the Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome. His research focuses on emotion, environmental, and decision science. He has published original contributions on the self-regulation of emotion, risk taking, climate change risk perception, pro-environmental behavior, and intergroup relations.