Juliane Scheering, Carry Luise Zimmermann, Desalegn Yayeh Ayal, Ulisses M. Azeiteiro, Henri-Count Evans, Inga Grinfelde, José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra, Jasenka Gajdoš Kljusurić, João Carlos Correia Leitão, Chunlan Li, Newton R. Matandirotya, Bethwel Mutai, Gustavo J. Nagy, Thierry Razanakoto, Jame Schaefer, Goran Trbic, Roberto Ariel Abeldaño Zuñiga, Sane Pashane Zuka, Charles Galdies, Adriana Consorte-McCrea, Francisco Platas, Mittul Vahanvati, Pedi Obani, Safwatun Nida, Lucas Gabriel Zanon, Mayara Régia Sousa de Melo, Alison Glover, Roman Vakulchuk
The increasing severity of the climate crisis requires a holistic approach to climate literacy that includes both intellectual and emotional dimensions. This study argues that addressing the emotional aspects of climate change is essential for promoting proenvironmental behavior. As climate emotions are emerging, there is a critical need for sustainability practitioners with both knowledge and emotional competencies to navigate complex environmental challenges. Despite their significance, the emotional dimensions of climate change are often overlooked in sustainability discussions. To bridge this gap, climate emotions and competencies should become integral parts of climate literacy and be incorporated at all levels of learning. Engaging in introspective understanding and (re-)categorizing personal emotions in relation to the crisis could be an essential step toward climate literacy. This process would not only deepen the psychological understanding of climate change but also enhance individuals’ abilities to process these emotions constructively and engage in environmental actions. To further elaborate this thesis, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted with professionals working in the sustainability context about their emotional experience of climate change and the resulting challenges. The main findings of the study suggest that sustainability practitioners feel empowered in their working lives when they get the opportunity to self-reflect and express themselves by exploring their personal intrinsic motivators, thoughts, and feelings. The ability to reflect on personal emotional experiences is key to bridging the gap between rational understanding and emotional competence in climate literacy. The study highlights the importance of creating safe spaces for emotional exploration in the sustainability field. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.
Institute of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, Latvia; Center for Sustainable Development (Greens), Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (Unisul), Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil; School of Urban and Regional Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Centre, Beitbridge, Zimbabwe; Kgotso Development Trust, Beitbridge, Zimbabwe; Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; CERED, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Marquette University, Milwaukee, United States; University of Sierra Sur, Oaxaca, Mexico; University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Land Economy, University of Malawi, The Polytechnic, Blantyre 3, Malawi; Institute of Earth Systems, University of Malta, Msida, Malta; Academy for Sustainable Futures, Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom; Casa de Cultura de la UAEMéx en Tlalpan, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico; School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; University of Bradford, Bradford, United Kingdom; Science Education Department of Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia; University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil; State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil; The Open University, Cardiff, United Kingdom; Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Oslo, Norway; University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany; Center for Food Security Studies, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa Univesity, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; The Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Eswatini, Manzini, Kwaluseni Campus, Matsapha, South Africa
