Addressing Ageism and Fostering Intergenerational Climate Solidarity

Mitigating the climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century, which will require unprecedented cooperation and action across diverse factions, including age. Intergenerational tensions such as the belief that older adults have contributed disproportionately to environmental degradation or that younger adults are wasteful, can undermine collective climate action. Fostering intergenerational solidarity is essential for tackling climate change, yet it remains an underutilized technique. Can a sense of intergenerational solidarity be induced among individuals? In an experimental study, participants were randomly assigned to watch videos depicting intergenerational climate solidarity or control videos. Participants in the intergenerational climate solidarity (experimental) condition indicated fewer intergenerational tensions, less ambivalent ageism toward older adults, and increased perceptions of joint climate action across generations. These findings suggest that facilitating intergenerational solidarity may be a powerful tool to change perceptions as well as lower intergenerational tensions. Limitations and future directions are discussed.