3.4.1 Addressing intergenerational issues

A little earlier in the course you studied the value of intergenerational dialogue in supporting exploration of the ways in which the climate crisis is impacting people from different age groups, the responsibilities of people from different generations, and how intergenerational collaboration can be effective in achieving imaginative and effective solutions and action. As already noted, this can pose challenges.

Often, young activists are drawing on their ‘moral authority’ to represent future generations and their social media savviness. For example, Vanessa Nakate has been occupied with selling solar batteries to combat the effects of climate change on the rain-fed agriculture that supports most Ugandans. Nakate uses social media to connect to other activists from around the world and to amplify her message. As she puts it: ‘the older generation messed things up […] we are doing the clean-up’ (Marris, 2019).

But should the older generation be blamed for the climate emergency? Although there are age-based differences in people’s attitudes towards climate change, it may be levels of educational attainment, rather than age, that drives these differences (HelpAge International, 2021). Many older people are passionate about contributing to climate activism and they are well placed to mobilise others. Polarising old and young isn’t an effective strategy in the long term. Addressing the climate emergency needs an intergenerational and multigenerational approach.

And how do adults see young people? About a quarter of adults surveyed in 2018 in the US said that the most important reason to act on climate change is ‘to provide a better life for our children and grandchildren’ (Marris, 2019, p. 472). They do not see young activists as powerless, but rather as having a greater moral integrity than other stakeholders involved in this topic (Marris, 2019). Intergenerational dialogue can explore these questions and issues.