Case Study 1: 2010 Study on Chile Environmental Activism
Recently there have been growing concerns about mining and its risks for individuals as well as the environment. The mining of gold, has a high environmental impact. This impact has increased over time as new and riskier technologies have been developed (Mudd, 2007). One of the biggest environmental impacts of open pit mining is high water consumption and acid mine drainage (Urkidi, 2010) . Socially studies have shown that mining areas tend to have comparatively higher levels of economic inequity, AIDS, alcoholism, prostitution and child labour, accentuating poverty and social conflict (Pegg, 2006).
In Chile from 2009 to 2019, Scherman and colleagues (2022) wrote about a fluctuation of environmental activism in Chili due to the above conditions. During this period they saw a drastic rise in a specific kind of people. Younger generations predominated among environmental activists, who were particularly active (Scherman et al., 2022). This correlated with social media and different ways to protest through instant messaging and sharing ideas. Scherman and colleagues (2022) found social media use was positively associated with participation in environmental issues. Because of the large scale of protesters, they were able to block mining and energy work from being continued. What other motivators do the youth have for environmental activism? [grammar?]
Key points
The use of social media as a motivation in environmental issues.
Rise of youth in protesting.
Reasons people protest; Social unrest, environmental risks and individual risks.
Key definitions
Focus questions
Why are more youth participating in activism?
What is motivating youth to engage in activism?
What role does nature, nurture and culture play on youth activism?
What is the relationship between education and environmental activism?
How can we motivate young people to engage in environmental activism?
What are the contributing factors for younger generations to be so active on environmental activism? There is a rising trend of youth groups being formed with the explicit intent of educating other peers and elders on the social and political implications of climate change (Goldman et al., 2014; Feldmann, 2020).
What motivates this generation to actively protest?
Today's landscape that encourages youth environmental action is one of publicized climate action, social change and.....
Climate activism has been around for much longer than 2010-2019. However, there was a clear shift in the amount of people listening these years, and the way it was portrayed in the media. Throughout these years it was clear that it climate change was happening. It wasn't a concern, it wasn't something oncoming, it was here. There was an emergence of not only regular climate protests [clarification needed] (See Figure 1), but they began to emerge on a global scale (Scherman et al., 2022). Rather than them staying entirely within individual groups, social media forced it to be within the public conscious.... More examples of how media and public awareness shifted during the 2010s.
A more politically active generation (Scherman et al., 2022).
Awareness of how these policies effect the environment. (Sloam et al., 2022).
What exactly makes the youth care so much about politics? Well, there has been a clear shift in the way they view politics, it is no longer something to worry about during elections, it is expected to have some form of political awareness (Sloam et al., 2022).
Role of politics needs more exploration....
How are young activists influence policy and what political movements they are engaging with?
The current youth have a clear understanding of environmental issues, and have a clear level of self efficacy towards them (Goldman, D. et al). They believe that the engaging with social media, having the conversations and living sustainable lives will make a difference....
There is a current trend of the younger generation being politically inexperienced, when they protest against specific decisions and have strikes which brings an emotional aspect into the fold (Fedmanm. H. 2020). They are angry....[Provide more detail] (Add more context about the emotional aspect of youth activism.)
Gousse-Lessard (2013) proposed that passion is a strong motivator behind radical environmental activism.
Being told they don't know what they're talking about makes personal stakes, mixed with a genuine care for the future. [improve clarity] (Clarify the role of criticism and how it motivates further activism.)
Need more of a detailed analysis (Expanding on each motivator)
Emotional aspect of youth activism.
This template provides tips for the topic development exercise. Gradually remove these suggestions as the chapter develops. It is OK to retain some of this template content for the topic development exercise. Also consult the book chapter guidelines.
The Overview is typically consists of one to four paragraphs inbetween the scenario and focus questions. Suggested word count aim for the Overview: 180 to 330 words.
Key points ==
Motivators of passion, awareness, goals, and self efficacy
Passion and its role in radical environmental activism
Figure 2. Future of environmental sustainabilityAim for three to six main headings inbetween the Overview and Conclusion
Sub-headings can also be used, but
avoid having sections with only one sub-heading
provide an introductory paragraph before breaking into sub-sections
Activism is motivated by a desire to make contributions to a just world (Wetering & Lee., 2025)
Climate change is no longer something that can be ignored (Romano et al., 2024)
Young people will experience stronger consequences of climate change in their future adult lives than older people are facing today (Wallis and Loy., 2021).
Do it ourselves politics (Pickard., 2022)
Key points
Youth fighting for their future
More obvious climate and environmental changes
Knowledge of the impacts of climate change for the youth
The Conclusion is arguably the most important section
Suggested word count: 150 to 330 words
It should be possible for someone to only read the Overview and the Conclusion and still get a pretty good idea of the problem and what is known based on psychological science
Suggestions for this section:
What is the answer to the sub-title question based on psychological theory and research?
What are the answers to the focus questions?
What are the practical, take-home messages? (Even for the topic development, have a go at the likely take-home message)
Akiva, T., Carey, R. L., Cross, A. B., Delale-O'Connor, L., & Brown, M. R. (2017). Reasons youth engage in activism programs: Social justice or sanctuary? Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 53, 20-30. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2017.08.005
Feldman, H. R.. (2020). A rhetorical perspective on youth environmental activism. Journal of Science Communication, 19(06), C07. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.19060307
Goldman, D., Pe’er, S., & Yavetz, B. (2015). Environmental literacy of youth movement members – is environmentalism a component of their social activism? Environmental Education Research, 23(4), 486–514. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2015.1108390
Gousse-Lessard, A.-S., Vallerand, R. J., Carbonneau, N., & Lafrenière, M.-A. K. (2013). The role of passion in mainstream and radical behaviors: A look at environmental activism. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 35, 18–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.03.003
Pickard, S. (2022). Young environmental activists and Do-It-Ourselves (DIO) politics: Collective engagement, generational agency, efficacy, belonging and hope. Journal of Youth Studies, 25(6), 730-750.
Romano, L., Russo, C., Gladwin, T. E., & Panno, A. (2024). Adolescents and young adults’ participation in pro-environmental movements: A systematic review. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 185(5), 373-398.
Scherman, A., Valenzuela, S., & Rivera, S.. (2022). Youth environmental activism in the age of social media: the case of Chile (2009-2019). Journal of Youth Studies, 25(6), 751–770. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2021.2010691
Sloam, J., Pickard, S., & Henn, M.. (2022). ‘Young People and Environmental Activism: The Transformation of Democratic Politics’. Journal of Youth Studies, 25(6), 683–691. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2022.2056678
Tagkaloglou, S., & Kasser, T. (2018). Increasing collaborative, pro-environmental activism: The roles of Motivational Interviewing, self-determined motivation, and self-efficacy. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 58, 86–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2018.06.004
Wallis, H., & Loy, L. S. (2021). What drives pro-environmental activism of young people? A survey study on the Fridays For Future movement. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 74, 101581. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101581
Wetering, J. V. D., & Lee, K. (2026). What's in It for Them? A Developmental Science Perspective on Adolescent Climate Activism. Journal of Adolescence.
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