Experts Warn of a Growing Number of Children Experiencing Climate Anxiety
Medical experts are sounding the alarm about the rise of "climate anxiety" in children and teens around the globe.
"We see that a lot of young people are saying, 'I think my life will be worse than my parents' lives,'" a psychology professor at Suffolk University in Boston told CBS News.
Data from a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health in December 2021 found that young people are extremely concerned about the state of the climate crisis.
"Climate anxiety and dissatisfaction with government responses are widespread in children and young people in countries across the world and impact their daily functioning," the report stated. "A perceived failure by governments to respond to the climate crisis is associated with increased distress."
A large number of young people in the study reported that they feel a sense of hopelessness and worry that the human race will go extinct. Most also agreed that governments are not doing enough to address the issue and even noted feeling betrayed by them.
"Children are now turning to legal action based on government failure to protect ecosystems, young citizens and their futures. Failure of governments to protect them from harm from climate change could be argued to be a failure of human rights and a failure of ethical responsibility to care, leading to moral injury," according to the journal.
The non-profit Child Mind Institute suggests that parents allow children to express their concerns and fear of climate change but to also encourage them to be brave. The organization also advises that parents helping them manage their feelings and adopting ways to change their own habits can help mitigate the worry.
Carlo and Baker cover the latest developments after a devastating tornado outbreak over the weekend, plus an eye on Omicron and inflation, and not even Spielberg can save the box office.
Reusable rocket developer Stoke Space Technologies raised $65 million in a Series A round led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a firm founded by Bill Gates. Stoke says its reusable rockets provide the satellite industry with low-cost, on-demand access to and from orbit. As companies like SpacX and Blue Origin are also making commitments to rocket reusability, Stoke says it is taking a different approach with a system designed to be 100% reusable, comprised of rockets designed to fly daily, like an airplane. Stoke co-founder and CEO Andy Lapsa joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Humans are set to return to a place we have not been in nearly 50 years: the moon. NASA's Artemis program is expected to have astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2025. NASA says it will use what it learns on the moon to take the next giant leap - sending the first astronauts to Mars. The Artemis program also includes contributions from private companies like SpaceX, as well as academic research institutions like Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech professor of practice and former NASA astronaut Sandra Magnus joins Future of Space: Humankind's Leap Forward to discuss.
The CDC warns that COVID-19 is rapidly spreading with Omicron variant cases doubling every two days in the United States. How do current vaccines hold up against the new strain, and what does it mean for your upcoming holiday travel? Cheddar News breaks things down with infectious diseases specialist Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
President Joe Biden is expected to meet with his COVID-19 response team as the omicron variant continues to surge across the country. Experts say Delta is driving this surge but Dr. Anthony Fauci says Omicron will take over. Emergency physician Dr. Daniel Fagbuyi joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Omicron is on course to become the dominant COVID strain in the U.S., even as Delta is causing another spike in cases. According to Johns Hopkins University data, cases across the country are up 40% from last month, with New York City as a major hotspot. Outbreaks are now causing Broadway performances to be canceled, colleges and universities to shift to online classes, sports leagues to postpone games, and more. Dr. Jen Caudle, family physician and associate professor at Rowan University, joined Cheddar to discuss the surge in cases and how we can best protect ourselves against the new variant.
