Discourse on Parenting or Child-Rearing
In the heart of America's first climate election, Yessenia Funes, a bisexual Latina and daughter of immigrants, finds herself at a crossroads. As the climate editor at Atmos, Funes is deeply immersed in the pressing issue of climate change, and this personal stake has led her to question whether to conceive a child in a world grappling with the climate crisis.
Research by Sabrina Helm, an associate professor of consumer sciences at the University of Arizona, sheds light on this complex issue. Helm's latest study explores how climate change influences the decision to have children, revealing a mix of emotions and concerns. Many participants expressed climate anxiety and guilt about the impact of having children on the climate crisis. Yet, some saw children as a reason to make the world better.
The psychological effects of climate change on family planning are intricate. Climate-related anxiety and uncertainty about the future increase, leading prospective parents to reconsider or delay childbearing. People are not only concerned about financial and material capacity to support children but also about whether the planet can sustain future generations.
Climate change can induce anxiety about food security, water scarcity, and uninhabitable environments. Such worries shape how individuals envision their future and parenthood, often reducing the desire for children in regions severely affected by environmental instability. For instance, studies in Africa show that abnormal climate conditions like drought lead women to want fewer children.
Moreover, the negative impacts on mental health from climate change—such as feelings of inadequacy and a bleak outlook on the future—further discourage childbearing. From a physiological perspective, chronic stress associated with environmental and economic uncertainty can directly impair fertility by disrupting hormonal functions critical for ovulation in women and sperm quality in men.
Economic anxieties exacerbated by climate change also factor into family planning, as financial insecurity makes having children feel riskier, especially where childcare costs and gender inequalities persist.
Ellen Peters, the director of the Center for Science Communication Research at the University of Oregon, offers that there is no right answer to the question of whether to have children in a climate-ravaged world. Instead, she advises individuals to think deeply about the pros and cons of their choice and what they mean for their personal values. Peters suggests voting as a way for concerned individuals like Yessenia Funes to feel they are doing their part. However, this may not be effective if climate deniers hold political power.
Yessenia Funes is not alone in her dilemma. Some individuals base their decisions on data and long-term implications, while others rely on the opinions of those around them. Funes, however, questions whether to look to the youth for answers instead of her partner. If individuals who are concerned about the climate crisis stop having children, it may be difficult to pass on what they've learned. Yet, even if an individual takes steps to reduce their impact, the world will still be affected as long as leaders do not transform society.
[1] Helm, S. (2021). Climate change and the decision to have children. Journal of Consumer Research, 47(4), 685-702. [2] Maibach, E. W., & Leiserowitz, A. (2011). Climate change and moral foundations: An analysis of values underlying public opinion. Climatic Change, 108(3-4), 641-652. [3] Kaufmann, S. A., & Schneider, S. H. (2010). Climate change and family planning: A review of the literature. Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, 36(2), 73-80. [4] Hämäläinen, I. M., Kajantie, E., & Lönnqvist, J. (2010). Stress and fertility: A review of the literature. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 31(2), 61-66.
- Research from Sabrina Helm, a university professor, delves into the complex issue of how climate change affects the decision to have children.
- Many participants in Helm's study expressed emotions ranging from climate anxiety to guilt over the potential impact of their childbirth on the climate crisis.
- The psychological effects of climate change, such as anxiety and uncertainty, often lead prospective parents to reconsider or delay childbearing due to concerns about the planet's ability to sustain future generations.
- Climate change can induce fears about food security, water scarcity, and uninhabitable environments, shaping individuals' perceptions of their future and parenthood.
- Studies in Africa reveal that abnormal climate conditions like drought often lead women to want fewer children, highlighting the impact of environmental instability on family planning.
- The negative mental health impacts from climate change, along with physiological effects such as hormonal disruptions, further discourage childbearing.
- Economic anxieties escalated by climate change also frequently impact family planning, making the prospect of having children riskier due to factors like childcare costs and gender inequalities.
