Reading for the climate

Full project title: Reading for the climate

Duration: 3 January 2023 to 12 December 2023

Project lead for CESR: Dr Sara-Jayne Williams

Other UWE Bristol researchers:

• Dr Rosamund Portus
• Dr Sarah Robertson
• Dr Ann Alston 

Funder: UWE Bristol

Engaging young people with the effects and potential future impacts of climate crisis is essential for facilitating the changes required. These topics and their consequences can be overwhelming, and the emotional responses equally diverse, from anxiety to disengagement, but emotional depth can mean deeper levels of engagement.

This paper introduces an empirically tested innovative approach to this challenge. Over a three-month period, a cohort of young participants met three times and actively engaged in a structured and facilitated climate-focused book club where they read one book slowly. Their perspectives and experiences in relation to climate crisis within this context became the focal point of a semi-structured narrative focus group.

Thematic analysis of this data, conducted by an interdisciplinary team of researchers, yielded key themes encompassing:

1. personal reflections
2. knowledge acquisition, skill development and behavioural changes
3. connections to others
4. enthusiasm, inclusion, and support.

Subsequently, the discussion delves into the importance of providing opportunities for shared discussions when reading climate literature and the pivotal role and potential of climate literature as a mechanism for personal and collective meaningful engagement with climate crisis.

• Williams, S-J; Portus, R; Roberston, S; and Alston, A. (2025). Reading slowly together: climate literature book clubs and their potential for engaging young people with climate crisis, Environmental Education Research, 31:11, 2177-2195.
• Reading for the climate infographic (PDF)

For further information about the project, please contact Dr Sara-Jayne Williams (sara3.williams@uwe.ac.uk).