A new initiative from the NSW Government called Adapt NSW reflects how climate change and its impacts on all species is influencing knowledge, outlooks and actions.
Adapt NSW aims to inform and empower communities, businesses and government to adapt to climate change ‘to build a more resilient and low emissions future for this generation and the next’. It provides information, actions, tools and case studies of adaptation that inspire action.
The initiative also provides multiple links to curriculum, focusing on high school subject areas. Science, Geography, Economics, Business Studies, Society and Culture, Sustainability as a cross-curriculum priority and Interactive Learnings and Workshops are covered.
Adapt NSW states: ‘Scientific knowledge on climate change, as well as how to reduce greenhouse emissions and adapt across all sectors of society, is key to the future of NSW. Students must have access to high-quality educational resources that allow them to understand the basics and impacts of climate change, and empower them to be part of creating a more climate-resilient future.’
Acknowledging the huge impacts climate change has on mental health as well as physical health, a ‘Climate of Change’ section offers educational resources that align with Adapt NSW’s mission to support and educate students in navigating environmental complexities, taking the ‘doom and gloom’ out of eco-anxiety.
States the website: ‘This six-lesson program, developed by wellbeing experts and educators, builds students emotional literacy, resilience and agency. Each lesson includes videos, prompts, posters and educator scripts to spark discussion, support reflection and guide students in exploring emotions and positive futures.
Click here to view the Climate of Change section.
First Nations pedagogy is also woven through all aspects of the program to help students reclaim knowledge, respect, and connection to Country. In consultation with First Nations advisors, these activities aim to promote themes of relationality, which acknowledges that ‘all beings, humans, non-humans and the natural world, are all interconnected’.
More information is here:
https://www.climatechange.environment.nsw.gov.au/about-adaptnsw
What is ‘eco-anxiety?’
The term ‘eco-anxiety’ has been coined in response to the rising emotional and psychological concerns associated with climate change and loss of biodiversity. Feelings of grief, anger, and despair may emerge as people, particularly youth, grapple with the uncertainties of climate change (Kaushik, 2022).
Eco-anxiety information resource
As May & Kidder (2022) suggest, climate change is an ever-present phenomenon known for harming the nation’s social, natural and economic welfare, which are closely linked to our physical and mental health and wellbeing. Statistically, rates of eco-anxiety are significantly higher in younger people, who are already regarded as vulnerable to mental health stressors (Hickman et al., 2021).
These understandings are grounded in systems theory, which illustrates how a person fits into and is categorised by their immediate (micro) environment, which is influenced by broader, interconnecting (mezzo & macro) systems. Related to climate change, macro issues such as biodiversity depletion, urbanisation, and deforestation may cause apprehension and uncertainty as younger people navigate pre-existing mental health vulnerabilities on a micro level (Joice & Joseph, 2026). All living things belong to complex systems, so when change is apparent in one system, it affects the others.
PlantingSeeds leads the way
PlantingSeeds has been working in environmental advocacy, education and practices for over eight years. Our organisation aims to educate and empower young and older students – even adults – extend their learnings around regeneration, biodiversity, climate change and the urban heat island effect and general sustainability. Our foundational B&B Highway shines a spotlight on how indoor combined with outdoor education enhances environmental learnings, connections and awareness.
Our new enrichment programs enhance the foundational program.
B’Cool: This program empowers students to explore evidence-based solutions to enhance environmental and community health. B’Cool activities include plantings, measuring differences between natural and synthetic materials and citizen science applications to address and mitigate the effects of Urban Heat Islands.
B&B Bites: This highlights the role of soil health, pollinators and biodiversity in fostering thriving gardens. Links between plants, pollinators and food systems are explored. First Nations’ perspectives are also echoed throughout the learnings, as students are introduced to an Aboriginal seasonal calendar, breaking down the six seasonal changes, indicating flowering plants, wind patterns and dry periods.
B&B Belongings: This program encourages an holistic approach, integrating First Nations’ learnings into environmental studies. Through the lens of Aboriginal history, culture and the environment, Belongings’ activities foster reciprocity with Country, encouraging students to look more carefully, think more deeply and act more compassionately towards Country as they identify various flora, fauna and habitats.
Click here to learn more about our programs!
As Planting Seeds’ education manager, Nicole Lewis, says: ‘B&B Highway’s participants understand that their journey of learning and upskilling is just the beginning for themselves and their impact can be limitless. Small actions can inspire big changes and resolve considerable problems for the environment’.
Some images below of PlantingSeeds in action in schools
Article by Tahlia McLaren
Article Image by PlantingSeeds Projects
References:
Hickman, C., Marks, E., Pihkala, P., Clayton, S., Lewandowski, R. E., Mayall, E. E., Wray, B., Mellor, C., & Van Susteren, L. (2021). Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey. The Lancet. Planetary Health, 5(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00278-3
Joseph, J. K., & Joseph. (2026). Eco-Social Work for Disaster Risk Reduction : Advancing Social and Environmental Justice (1st ed. 2026.). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-4885-9
Kaushik, A. (2022). Eco anxiety. British Dental Journal, 233(8), 588–588. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-022-5164-z
May, E., & Kidder, J. (2022). Climate change. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Planting Seeds. (2026). School info. Planting Seeds. https://www.ps.org.au/bb-highway/school-info
RCPSYCH. (2022). Eco distress for children and young people. RCPSYCH. https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/parents-and-young-people/eco-distress-for-young-people