Climate change awareness and anxiety among Estonian upper secondary school students

The study aimed to investigate Estonian upper secondary school students’ climate change awareness and the extent of their climate change anxiety, by being one of the first to assess both awareness and emotional responses to climate change among Estonian students. Unlike previous studies in the region that may have focused solely on knowledge or attitudes, this research integrates cognitive and affective dimensions, offering a broader view of students’ climate-related perceptions. A questionnaire, developed based on previous studies and a literature review, was used as a research instrument. A convenience sample was formed, and 132 upper secondary school students participated in this study. The research results showed that upper secondary students are aware of climate change and were able to conceptualize its key aspects. The results of this study also indicated that climate change anxiety was not significantly common among the students. The results suggest that while increased awareness of climate change correlates with higher emotional responses, these emotions and reactions did not generally result in students’ climate change anxiety.