By Alexis Blue, University Communications
Today
Many survey respondents were concerned about bringing children to a world with an uncertain future. However, many also suggested that children offer hope for a better and brighter future.
When deciding whether or not to have children, there are many factors to consider: finances, support systems, personal values. For a growing number of people, climate change is also being added to the list of considerations, says a University of Arizona researcher.
Sabrina helmet, an associate professor at the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is lead author of a new peer-reviewed study examining how climate change affects people’s decisions about whether or not to have children.
Sabrina helmet
“For many people, the question of whether or not they will have children is one of the biggest in their lives,” Helm said. “If you are concerned about what the future will look like as a result of climate change, it will obviously affect how you see this very important decision in your life.”
Helm and her associates wanted to gain a better understanding of the specific reasons people living with climate change have for not wanting to have children. They began by analyzing online comments posted in response to news articles written about the growing trend of people refraining from having children because of concerns about climate change.
Next, they looked for adults between the ages of 18 and 35 who said climate change plays an important role in their reproductive decision-making. They interviewed 24 participants about their concerns.
The researchers’ findings, published in the journal Population and Environment, identify three key themes that emerged in both the online comments and the interviews.
- Overconsumption. This was the most common concern of those interviewed, Helm said. Almost all participants said they were concerned about how children would contribute to climate change through a larger carbon footprint and overuse of resources that could become scarcer in the future, such as food and water.
- Overpopulation. Overcrowding was the predominant concern among online commentators, and it was often highlighted in interviews, Helm said. Some participants said they felt that having more than two children would be problematic and even selfish, as they would “over replace” themselves and their partner. Some said they saw adoption as a more responsible choice. “Adoption was seen as the low-carbon alternative,” Helm said.
- An uncertain future. Interviewees and online commentators also often expressed a sense of doom about the future if climate change continues unchecked. Many said they would feel guilty or that they would be doing something morally or ethically wrong if they brought a child into a world with such an uncertain future.
While the “doom” perspective prevailed, it was also balanced with expressions of hope, Helm said. Some interviewees and commentators said the idea of children gives hope for a better and brighter future. Others expressed the hope that future generations could help improve the environment by raising awareness and action on climate change.
“There was hope that future generations will get the job done and make things better,” Helm said. “But that’s a heavy burden for small children.”
Understanding how climate change affects reproductive decision-making is part of a larger effort by Helm and other researchers to understand how climate change affects individuals mentally and emotionally in general. Helm noted that fears of climate change are on the rise, especially among younger people.
“Many people are now seriously affected in terms of mental health related to climate change,” she said. “Then you add in this very important decision about having children, which few take lightly, and this is an important topic from a public health perspective. effect of weather phenomena. “
Helm said many study participants expressed anger and frustration that their concerns are not being taken seriously by family members and friends, who may tell them disdainfully that they will change their mind about having children when they get older or meet the right person.
“It’s still a little taboo to even talk about this – about how concerned they are – in an environment where there are still people who deny climate change,” Helm said. “I think the ability to talk about it and hear the voices of others is lacking. Maybe this research will help.”