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Young Australians face a future of escalating climate chaos with growing fear, fierce resolve, and mounting protest.
For them climate change is no longer a distant threat.
It’s a daily reality that shapes how they think about the world and their place in it.[1]
Floods, fires, droughts, and smoke-choked skies have become generational markers.
Instead of dreaming of carefree futures, many now wrestle with existential dread and moral urgency.[2]
The Psychology of a Warming World
Studies show that climate anxiety is acute among young people across Australia.
A landmark survey in 2021 found that 75% of Australian youth aged 16 to 25 believe "the future is frightening."[3]
Over half feel that governments are failing them, and many report feeling sad, powerless, or betrayed.
This psychological toll is not imaginary.
It’s deeply tied to perceived inaction by political leaders and the continuing expansion of fossil fuel projects.[4]
Young Australians aren’t just afraid of extreme weather; they’re afraid of institutional failure.
From Anxiety to Action
Yet fear isn’t the only force shaping this generation: it’s also fuelling resistance.
Student climate strikes, often led by teenagers, have become powerful platforms for protest and solidarity.[5]
In cities and rural towns alike, youth are organising rallies, lobbying MPs, and pushing schools and universities to divest from fossil fuels.
Some have taken legal action: in 2021, a group of young Australians successfully argued in the Federal Court that the Environment Minister had a duty of care to avoid harming children from climate change (a decision later overturned on appeal).[6]
Changing Life Plans
Climate concern is also influencing personal decisions.
Many young people are reconsidering traditional life trajectories—whether to have children, where to live, and what careers to pursue.[7]
Some avoid long-term investments or reject job offers in carbon-intensive sectors.
Others are drawn to environmental science, activism, or policy in hopes of making a difference.
It’s not about despair; it’s about directing energy where it matters most.
Voices of the Next Generation
“I feel like the adults in charge have failed us,” says 18-year-old Emily Tran from Melbourne.
“But that doesn’t mean we give up. It means we fight harder.”
Emily was among thousands who joined the 2023 School Strike 4 Climate, demanding a transition away from fossil fuels and better protections for vulnerable communities.
Her activism is echoed by students across the country from Alice Springs to Brisbane who see climate action as a moral imperative.[8]
Cultural Responses and Creative Resistance
Australian youth are not just protesting in the streets, they’re using art, film, music, and literature to express their hopes and fears.
From climate-themed poetry slams to environmental TikTok collectives, they are building cultural movements that reach far beyond policy debates.[9]
This creativity provides emotional relief and fosters a shared identity rooted in action and imagination.
Systemic Betrayal and Fossil Fuel Expansion
Many feel betrayed by Australia’s continued approval of coal and gas projects.
Despite international warnings and growing evidence of harm, the federal government has supported major fossil fuel expansions including the Beetaloo Basin and Scarborough gas fields.[10]
To young Australians, these decisions are not just environmental missteps; they’re personal affronts that undermine their trust in democracy and leadership.
The message they receive is clear: profit still outweighs their future.
Coping, Healing, and Holding On
Yet amid the uncertainty, many young Australians are finding ways to cope.
Peer support networks, climate cafés, and youth-led organisations like AYCC (Australian Youth Climate Coalition) are helping them process their grief and channel it into purpose.[11]
Some practice “radical hope”, a belief that despite overwhelming odds, change is still possible.
Others are building local resilience through permaculture, mutual aid, and regenerative living.
Looking Ahead
The youth of Australia are inheriting a climate legacy they did not create.
But they are not passive recipients of disaster.
They are architects of resistance, storytellers of survival, and catalysts of transformation.
They are demanding a better future.
And daring to create one.
Footnotes
[1] The Guardian – Climate crisis has impacted mental health of nearly half of young Australians
[2] SMH – Youth mental health hit by climate change
[3] Nature – Young people’s climate anxiety revealed in landmark study
[4] ABC News – Climate anxiety rising among Australian youth
[5] The Monthly – Generation Rage: The school climate strikes
[6] ABC – Court overturns duty of care ruling
[7] The Conversation – Climate anxiety and life decisions
[8] School Strike 4 Climate Australia
[9] ABC – The rise of climate art
[10] The Guardian – Australia to approve major fossil fuel projects
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