Youth Climate Literacy: A 2025 NATIONAL SNAPSHOT

More than four in five Americans agree that we must help young people develop knowledge and skills to address climate change and build a sustainable world. While progress is being made by some states, districts, and educators in fostering climate understanding among young people, recent surveys reveal persistent misconceptions and worry among teenagers.

We partnered with the EdWeek Research Center to survey teenagers to better understand their awareness of climate change, its impacts, and its solutions. In this report, we highlight the findings from this survey along with an updated analysis of how climate change is included in state science and social studies standards.

KEY FINDINGS

Teenagers do not feel confident about their understanding of climate change and solutions.

• 12% of teens feel they know “a lot” about the causes of climate change.
• 10% of teens feel they know “a lot” about the solutions to climate change.

Teens demonstrate misunderstandings about climate change: its causes, consequences, and solutions.

Parents, educators, media, and more can help empower children and youth with a better understanding of core climate concepts to prepare them for success in our changing world.