The state of Western Australia (WA) was colonised by Britain in 1829. WA comprises 2.5 million km2 (one-third of Australia's landmass) with four climate zones (see Figure 1). WA has 2.66 million people including 89,000 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and 818,000 children and young p
The state of Western Australia (WA) was colonised by Britain in 1829. WA comprises 2.5 million km2 (one-third of Australia’s landmass) with four climate zones (see Figure 1). WA has 2.66 million people including 89,000 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and 818,000 children and young people aged 0-24 (1). Mining is central to WA’s economy, particularly lithium, iron ore and natural gas (52.4%, 33.6% and 12.2% of global production, respectively), and WA’s petroleum sector was worth AU$52 billion in 2021-22 (2).
Figure 1: Climate classification map, Australia – temperature/humidity zones (3)
Since 1910, WA’s average temperature has increased by 1.3°C (4). Rainfall has increased over most of WA except for significant decreases in the far west and southwest. Bushfire risk has increased. WA climate projections by 2050:
The Climate Health WA Inquiry found that climate change detrimentally affects the mental health and wellbeing of WA children and young people (5). Many express that they have feelings of worry, fear, ecoanxiety, solastalgia, anger, frustration, depression, grief, anxiety, and powerlessness about gradual and vicarious climate impacts on their futures. For Aboriginal children and young people, these impacts are exacerbated by climate change-related losses of sense of place, identity, culture, land, and customs informed by kinship relationships with Country:
“When we talk about mental health impacts of climate change, we’re talking about the loss and disconnection of our spiritual identity, our cultural beliefs and our values, which are essential requirements for our own lifeforce”. (Aboriginal Health Council of WA (6))
Climate change is a source of stress for 9.1% of WA Grade 9-12 young people (7), while 20% of 15-19 year-olds are personally extremely or very concerned about climate change (8). However, knowledge gaps exist about how children and young people cope with climate change as a psychological stressor, and support resources are lacking.
In our survey with 76 WA children and young people aged 10-25, some said:
Our work examines the mental health and wellbeing impacts of climate change on WA children and young people, and develops resources and programs with children and young people, the community, parents, community and health services and policymakers to strengthen children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing in a changing climate.
Team: WA young people, Aboriginal community leaders, practitioners and advocates from Climate Justice Union WA, Ngarlark Katitjin, Youth Affairs Council of WA and WA Association for Mental Health, and researchers from Edith Cowan University’s Centre for People, Place and Planet, Telethon Kids Institute, and the Australian National University.
Methodology: We use Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) co-produced with children and young people, Aboriginal Elders and community members, parents, and mental health and youth practitioners as co-researchers. FPAR involves ongoing cycles of action and reflection whereby communities and stakeholders co-design and implement research and action to address social injustices and inform practice and policy (9).
Cycle 4 - Participatory and arts-based workshops with children and young people, parents, and practitioners in regional and urban sites. Workshops explore coping and wellbeing strategies.
As climate change and associated mental health risks escalate, appropriate proactive support strategies are required. Initial insights from our cyclical work suggest support must be place-based and responsive to Country, cultures, and local context:
“We know taking action can help when we feel despair – but if we do not have support, good mentoring and capacity building opportunities, this action can lead to us burning out. We need adults around us to support our actions and help us be effective”. (WA youth climate activists (10))
Climate Justice Union’s Systemic Advocacy and Collective Care Youth Program developed recommended practices for adults in climate groups to better support young people’s collective action and wellbeing while responding to their diverse needs and safeguarding them from harm, in collaboration with other support systems.
Methodologies: Methodologies such as Aboriginal Elder- and community-led participatory action research (PAR) offer opportunities to conduct climate change research and action in collaboration with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities and young people. Through PAR, young people can develop and implement research questions, methods, actions, and interventions; a best practice approach. As co-researchers, young people can also build individual and collective self-efficacy and resilience, and cope with climate-related stress.
Policies and programs: Policies and programs to support children and young people affected by climate change must address the systemic causes of climate change, while also strengthening the capacity of parents, adults and the youth and mental health sectors to respond to young people experiencing climate change-related stresses. Decolonising our systems must go hand-in-hand with preventing dangerous climate change and supporting mental health, wellbeing, and resilience. As climate impacts worsen, policymakers and services must work with children and young people across cultures to co-design culturally safe and appropriate strategies that support and increase resilience to the psychological impacts of climate change. Interventions must be grounded in the local Country/place, landscapes and culture and be responsive to other local contexts.
Culturally safe clinical and community support frameworks: WA services currently lack an evaluated and culturally safe framework for clinical and community support interventions on climate change-driven mental health issues. Such frameworks should be grounded in Aboriginal science, knowledges and wisdoms, and the best of Western science; and draw on existing knowledge about community organising, community mental health support, promoting community wellbeing and mental wellbeing, activist wellbeing, navigating vicarious trauma and building community connection as protective factors.
Project partners: Strategic Research Centre for People, Place & Planet at Edith Cowan University, Western Australian Association for Mental Health, Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia, Australian National University, Telethon Kids Institute, Healthy Environment and Lives, Climate Justice Union, Ngarlark Katitjin
Contact: Dr Naomi Joy Godden
Centre for People, Place and Planet, Edith Cowan University, Wardandi Boodja (Bunbury)
n.godden@ecu.edu.au
This project is funded by Healthway.
