Earlier this year, Child Rights and You (CRY) conducted an online quiz with school students across Mumbai to better understand how children perceive climate change—what they know, how they feel, and whether they see themselves as part of the solution. And the results were both revealing and deeply concerning: more than half the students who participated did not know what causes climate change.
The quiz, conducted during the summer of 2025, aimed to assess students’ awareness, attitudes, perceptions and actions related to climate change. More than 280 schoolchildren participated—most of them from Classes 9 and 10. While nearly 90 per cent of respondents agreed that climate change is a serious issue, only 51.3 per cent could correctly identify greenhouse gases as its cause. Some responses were vague or outright incorrect—an indication that climate literacy is not reaching our students in a meaningful or accessible way.
As the climate crisis accelerates—bringing rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and increased displacement—it is today’s children who will bear the brunt of its consequences. Yet, many of them are growing up without the basic scientific understanding needed to navigate this future. That is not just a failure of education—it’s a failure of responsibility.
Even more revealing was the pattern of their consumption of information and knowledge. Over half the students said they learned about climate change through the internet or television—while only 33 per cent cited schools as their main source of information. This tells us two things: children are eager to understand the world around them, and our education system is lagging behind in providing that understanding.
And it’s not just about facts and figures. The emotional toll of climate change on young minds is real. The quiz responses revealed a spectrum of emotions: anxiety, hope, indifference—and for many, silence. About a third didn’t respond to the emotional questions at all. For some, that may signal emotional fatigue. For others, it may reflect confusion or a lack of safe spaces to express their thoughts. Yet 41 per cent of students said they felt better when taking action—even though only 15.4 per cent are currently engaging others in dialogue. That tells us something powerful: when given the opportunity to act, young people feel more empowered and less alone.
The implications go far beyond classrooms. As policymakers and educators, we must reimagine how we approach climate education. It can no longer be treated as a niche topic or a single chapter in environmental studies. We must weave it into core curricula—ensuring it is scientifically grounded, emotionally supportive, and action-oriented.
Students want more than information—they want platforms to engage, advocate, and lead. They are not looking for performative gestures. They are asking for responsibility. They want leaders who act with urgency, schools that foster open dialogue, and media that speaks their language without diluting the message.
At CRY, we believe children are not just victims of climate change—they can be powerful agents of change. But for that to happen, we must equip them with more than awareness. We must give them knowledge, tools, and above all, a voice.
We owe it to our children to create those opportunities. We need classrooms that teach not just the science of climate change, but the power of individual and collective action. We need schools that encourage dialogue, build resilience, and support emotional well-being in the face of climate anxiety. And we need education that doesn’t end with exams—but begins a lifetime of advocacy and engagement.
The young people we surveyed are not passive observers. They are ready to be part of the solution. They want their voices to be heard—not as a token gesture, but as an essential part of the conversation. They are calling for curriculum reform, youth platforms, and real partnerships between educators, non-profits, and media to align messaging with their world.
The climate crisis is not tomorrow’s problem. It is today’s emergency. And our children are already living with its consequences — through health risks, disrupted schooling, and shrinking safe spaces. We must act urgently, not only to mitigate the damage, but to prepare our children with the tools, knowledge, and emotional strength they need to face a rapidly changing world.
Educating children about climate change is no longer optional — it is essential. Without age-appropriate climate literacy, children risk growing up in a world they do not understand and are ill-equipped to navigate. Schools must integrate climate education into curricula, not just as science, but as a lived reality with social, economic, and emotional consequences. Children should be empowered to see themselves as change-makers — whether by conserving water, reducing waste, or advocating for greener policies.
By helping children connect the dots between their daily lives and the changing environment, we build empathy, awareness, and action. Investing in climate education today is an investment in a generation that can adapt wisely, advocate effectively, and act decisively in the face of an unfolding crisis. The time to start is now.
Our children are not too young to understand. If we want them to meet the challenges of climate change, we must meet the challenge of preparing them — not tomorrow, but today.
Kreeanne Rabadi is Director, CRY (West)
Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth