Digital Climate Literacy and Its Impact on Youth When Navigating Misinformation and Eco-Anxiety

WIL Publication | By Global Health Interns Hasti Rejali & Sadra Toossi

Summary of Key Findings

In today’s digital world, youth increasingly turn to online platforms for information about climate change and environmental issues. The primary sources they turn to are social media, websites, and apps, which enable them to access news, participate in activism, and form their understanding of the climate crisis present today. Although these platforms provide a wealth of knowledge about climate change and climate-related issues, they also pose a significant challenge for young people: distinguishing between credible and misleading information. This phenomenon, called misinformation, has raised concerns about its potential to worsen psychological distress, such as eco-anxiety, among young people.

This literature review examines the role of digital climate literacy in enabling youth to navigate the complex digital landscape of climate change information. It will examine how youth use digital tools, the challenges they face when trying to identify trustworthy sources, and the psychological effects of being exposed to climate misinformation. The review also takes into account the importance of critical digital literacy skills in promoting accurate climate awareness and reducing the negative consequences of misinformation on mental health, especially when in the context of eco-anxiety. Through an examination of empirical studies, systematic reviews, and grey literature, this review aims to outline the necessary skills and strategies that can enable young people to engage with climate change information in a responsible and productive manner.

To start, young people actively participate in creating and responding to climate-related content, rather than just consuming it. Smith, Beach, and Shen (2021) explain how students understand the climate crisis and gain a sense of “agency” through “digital multimodal narratives” like storytelling and videos. These serve as tools for both internal and external communication. Similarly, Beach and Smith (2024) demonstrate how media created by youth, such as digital art, social media posts, and online campaigns, serve as opportunities for community building and civic engagement that can help alleviate feelings of powerlessness and eco-anxiety.

Digital tools are also being used in formal education settings to improve critical thinking and climate literacy. According to Castek and Dwyer (2018), sixth-grade students who worked on digital literacy projects developed transferable abilities and a better grasp of the differences between weather and climate. Similarly, interactive games like CO2peration have also been shown to improve students’ comprehension of greenhouse gases and related climate science (Harker-Schuch et al., 2020). According to these studies, learning environments that incorporate technology can foster critical thinking and information acquisition.

Nevertheless, digital access has several disadvantages in addition to its advantages. The Conversation (2025) claims that false information on climate change is widespread on websites such as YouTube and TikTok, and is predicted to worsen as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent. It can be challenging for young people to distinguish this false information because it frequently passes for humour, opinion, or pseudo-science. According to Beach and Smith (2024), exposure to these contradictory or fear-based messages is not only confusing but is also associated with elevated levels of eco-anxiety.

Grey literature also supports the idea that critical media skills are essential in today’s information ecosystem. To help young people evaluate the accuracy and truthfulness of climate information, the Institute for Development Impact (2025) emphasizes the importance of easily accessible, well-designed digital tools, such as apps, websites, and mobile media, as well as educational support. A real-world example of this can be found in WACC Global (2025), which describes how university students were able to better navigate climate misinformation after learning how to evaluate bias, challenge sources, and consider their emotional responses to online content. The work stresses that youth should not only assess digital information but also critically examine the sources that produce and distribute it. Through framing, visual language, and messaging intent, young people can become more aware of false information and the ways in which the climate crisis is framed across various sources. These crucial skills help in changing fear into informed decision-making.

Knowledge Synthesis

1. Smith, B., & Beach, R. (2023). Youth Created Media on the Climate Crisis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003335276

Youth today are increasingly utilizing digital platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter to engage with climate change discourse, activism, and media production (Smith & Beach, 2023). These platforms serve not only as information sources but as areas for youth to create content that challenges dominant narratives surrounding climate change, sustainability, and environmental justice (Smith & Beach, 2023). Through digital storytelling, visual media, music, and art, youth are able to represent the urgency of environmental crises and advocate for systemic change, offering counter-narratives to the limited coverage typically provided by traditional media (Smith & Beach, 2023). The research highlights how digital spaces foster collective youth agency, allowing young people to critique existing political and economic structures while envisioning more sustainable futures (Smith & Beach, 2023). Initiatives such as the Fridays for Future movement demonstrate how digital tools can amplify youth activism at a global scale, enabling widespread participation despite geographic barriers (Smith & Beach, 2023).

Importantly, the use of digital tools also fosters critical media literacy skills, empowering youth to recognize and combat misinformation while promoting public understanding grounded in scientific consensus (Smith & Beach, 2023). However, Smith and Beach (2023) caution that youth-led media activism often occurs without proper institutional support, leaving young people responsible for developing their own frameworks to evaluate information and produce credible content. The research also identifies that youth-generated media often confronts dominant ideologies—such as consumerism and economic growth models—that contribute to ecological degradation (Smith & Beach, 2023). By producing visual narratives that highlight environmental phenomena such as floods, droughts, and wildfires, youth not only raise awareness but also demand systemic change from audiences and institutions alike (Smith & Beach, 2023). In this way, digital media production among youth is not only a tool for disseminating information but also a critical practice for building collective ecological consciousness and resilience in the face of climate crises (Smith & Beach, 2023).

2. Smith, B., Beach, R., & Shen, J. (2021). Fostering Student Activism About the Climate Crisis Through Digital Multimodal Narratives. Journal of Sustainability Education. https://www.susted.com/wordpress/content/fostering-student-activism-about-the-climate-crisis-through-digital-multimodal-narratives_2021_08/

Building upon earlier findings, Smith, Beach, and Shen (2021) further explore how youth actively use digital multimodal storytelling to engage with the climate crisis. Their research demonstrates that when students create narratives combining video, visuals, text, animation, and sound, they not only communicate urgent environmental issues but also develop a sense of personal and collective agency (Smith, Beach, & Shen, 2021). Through projects such as Project Imagine the Future (Project IF), youth participants constructed science fiction-inspired stories that tackled localized climate issues, including flooding, sea-level rise, and superstorms (Smith, Beach, & Shen, 2021). These projects enabled students to integrate scientific understanding with creative expression, showcasing both the current impacts of climate change and envisioned solutions for the future. The emphasis on "eventness"—the portrayal of climate crises as extraordinary disruptions to ecological norms—enhanced students' emotional connection to environmental challenges and empowered them to frame the climate crisis as a moral imperative for action (Smith, Beach, & Shen, 2021). By integrating popular culture references, personal identity, and real-world scientific evidence into their narratives, youth not only deepened their knowledge of climate science but also positioned themselves as communicators capable of influencing public opinion (Smith, Beach, & Shen, 2021).

The study also highlights the critical role of media literacy practices—especially “immersion,” “performance,” and “spreadability”—in the effectiveness of youth-created narratives (Smith, Beach, & Shen, 2021). Students employed immersive techniques, such as animation and interactive storytelling, to create emotional resonance with their audiences, while performance strategies, including video editing and sound design, enhanced the rhetorical impact of their messages (Smith, Beach, & Shen, 2021). The “spreadability” of these narratives, supported by digital platforms such as Pixton and iKOS, allowed students to reach broader audiences beyond their classrooms, including participation in sci-fi film festivals and online showcases (Smith, Beach, & Shen, 2021). Furthermore, feedback loops built into the projects where students shared drafts and received criticism from peers and educators, mirrored authentic scientific communication practices and further strengthened their sense of agency (Smith, Beach, & Shen, 2021). Through these multimodal productions, youth were not only passive consumers of climate information but also active creators of knowledge and advocates for change, showing that digital storytelling can be a powerful tool for cultivating activism, critical thinking, and resilience in the face of environmental issues (Smith, Beach, & Shen, 2021).

3. Hopke, J. (2025, February 27). Climate misinformation is rife on social media – and poised to get worse. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/clim ate-misinformation-is-rife-on-social-media-and-poised-to-get-worse-247156

The Conversation (2025) looks at the rising danger of misinformation on climate change through social media—particularly through Meta's decision to reduce its fact-checking and content moderation programs. According to the source, the likelihood of coming across uncorrected misinformation rises as social media sites like Facebook and Instagram give up the responsibility to verify their content to users themselves. In addition, false claims, especially those that happen during climate-related disasters, usually spread quickly due to Meta’s algorithmic promotion of emotionally charged posts. This false information regarding climate change is referred to as particularly “sticky,” meaning that once people encounter it, even if it is later proven to be false, it is difficult to dislodge. This creates an unstable environment for youth online when they are seeking out information, making it difficult for them to tell fact from fiction when it matters most—for example, during climate crisis events. The website emphasizes that young users must utilize their own media literacy skills to critically evaluate the reliability of content they encounter, given the absence of expert fact-checking.

This source also notes that consumers, especially young people, may experience confusion, fear, and a sense of helplessness when exposed to inaccurate or emotionally charged climate content during disasters. This psychological stress may worsen eco-anxiety and diminish their confidence or trust in legitimate climate science. To address this growing issue, The Conversation (2025) highlights the importance of early intervention strategies, such as “prebunking” actual information before false information spreads. Without having these supports in place for them, young people are left vulnerable to both informational harm and emotional distress during climate crisis events.

4. Kogan, P. (2025, February 21). Digital Innovation for Climate Literacy. Institute for Development Impact. https://i4di.org/digital-tools-climate-literacy/

According to the Institute for Development Impact (2025), digital tools can significantly enhance the climate literacy of young people. The article demonstrates how various technologies, including digital storytelling, VR experiences, AR apps, interactive platforms, simulations, and data visualization tools, can enhance the effectiveness, accessibility, and engagement of climate education online, particularly for young people. Allowing for engagement and entertainment can greatly improve the youth’s desire to participate in learning accurate climate change information. The article notes that while apps like Earth Hero promote real-world action through personal goal setting, NASA's Climate Kids and WWF Free Rivers are two examples of tools that help children engage with difficult climate concepts in more memorable and practical ways. However, the article emphasizes that having access to digital tools alone is not enough. To achieve meaningful climate literacy, students must develop critical evaluation skills, which enable them to interpret, question, and apply the information provided by these technologies.

The article also emphasizes the need for diversity and more extensive educational support to complement access to technology. Today, the usefulness of digital tools may be limited by language and cultural barriers, particularly for communities in the Global South. By using Argentina’s success with combining digital resources and teacher training, the Institute for Development Impact (2025) argues that for youth to gain true climate literacy depends not just on the digital tools they use—or how they use them—but on integrating climate literacy into critical and accessible education systems to be taught by trained teachers and staff. This way, youth can be taught at an early age how to distinguish between misleading and credible information on climate change.

5. Gilio-Whitaker, D. (2025, February 19). Digital Media Literacy: Important lessons from a climate change classroom. WACC. https://waccglobal.org/digital-media -literacy-important-lessons-from-a-climate-change-classroom/

Gilio-Whitaker (2025) discusses the importance of media literacy in developing climate awareness when she recounts a classroom experience in which she was instructing undergraduate students on climate change. She explained that students were often seen as very susceptible to the spread of false information on digital media platforms and frequently arrived at university knowing very little about it. To address this, she designed the course to include exposure to contrasting media examples, such as a PBS documentary, a climate denial movie, and critical news analysis tools. Through these activities, students discovered how selective reporting, biased imagery, and emotional appeal may sway public opinion and perception. Thus, Gilio-Whitaker’s course demonstrated that direct exposure to misinformation, combined with systematic media literacy education, helped students enhance their critical thinking skills and develop a more evidence-based understanding of climate change.

Along with media literacy strategies, Gilio-Whitaker (2025) also emphasizes the need for teaching to maintain its objectives and withstand political polarization, particularly in light of the current attacks on environmental education and diversity. In her course, students were urged to compare how climate change policies were portrayed in the media in order to draw their own well-informed opinions, particularly during a very divisive election season. They were able to evaluate credibility on their own without feeling compelled to take a specific political stance, thanks to the approach that Gilio-Whitaker taught them. In an era of digital disinformation, Gilio-Whitaker concludes that media literacy is essential for comprehending climate change amidst diverse political messages. Young individuals who are taught to think critically are better equipped to handle misinformation and sort through environmental challenges than those who are not. Thus, it must be taught at all educational levels.

6. Castek, J., & Dwyer, B. (2018). Think globally, act locally: Teaching climate change through digital inquiry. The Reading Teacher, 71(6), 755–761. https://doi.org/10.1002/tr tr.1687

Castek and Dwyer (2018) provide valuable insights into how digital inquiry-based climate education can expose students to both the complexity of climate change and the emotional challenges associated with confronting alarming environmental information. In their case study of sixth-grade classrooms in the United States and Ireland, the authors demonstrate that students initially approached climate change with deep curiosity, but soon encountered emotional responses, such as confusion, concern, and distress, as they navigated the overwhelming volume of climate-related information online (Castek & Dwyer, 2018). The study reveals that digital literacy practices—such as constructing digital concept maps and engaging in collaborative efforts—helped students manage the emotional impact by encouraging critical thinking, contextualization, and evidence-based reasoning (Castek & Dwyer, 2018). Students learned to distinguish between short-term weather patterns and long-term climate trends through digital comparison exercises, which not only built scientific understanding but also alleviated some of the misinformation-induced fear surrounding environmental variability (Castek & Dwyer, 2018).

The inquiry model implemented in these classrooms emphasized the importance of guiding students to ask meaningful questions, critically evaluate digital sources, and engage in creative problem-solving activities such as designing renewable energy solutions (Castek & Dwyer, 2018). These practices served not only to build content knowledge but also to build emotional resilience, as students shifted from passive recipients of dire climate news to active agents capable of proposing solutions (Castek & Dwyer, 2018). In addition, Castek and Dwyer (2018) stress that digital literacy instruction must intentionally address the emotional toll of climate inquiry by creating opportunities for students to reflect, collaborate, and develop a sense of agency. In doing so, educators can mitigate the psychological burden associated with eco-anxiety and misinformation, allowing students to respond to climate challenges with optimism rather than helplessness (Castek & Dwyer, 2018).

7. De Abreu, B. S. (2022). Media Literacy, equity, and Justice. Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003175599

De Abreu (2022) emphasizes that advancing digital climate literacy among youth requires more than teaching fact-checking or information navigation skills; it demands the integration of emotional regulation, critical media analysis, and a commitment to social justice. The book argues that emotional resilience is a foundational skill for navigating today’s media-saturated environment, particularly where climate misinformation thrives (De Abreu, 2022). Youth are frequently exposed to content that is emotionally charged, polarized, or designed to trigger feelings of fear and helplessness. Without intentional support to help manage these reactions, the result is often disengagement (De Abreu, 2022). By promoting conscious emotional regulation alongside critical evaluation, educators can equip young people not only to recognize misinformation but also to maintain their psychological well-being as they confront difficult realities, such as climate change (De Abreu, 2022). This dual focus is crucial for preventing the kind of cognitive and emotional overload that undermines youth's ability to participate meaningfully in environmental advocacy (De Abreu, 2022).

Moreover, De Abreu (2022) underscores that promoting digital climate literacy must also involve a justice-oriented lens. Simply teaching students to identify accurate information is not enough. We must address the deeper systemic inequities that shape whose voices are heard in media spaces and whose are marginalized (De Abreu, 2022). Critical media literacy, as described in the book, involves understanding how climate narratives are framed, whose perspectives dominate them, and how digital environments both reflect and reinforce broader patterns of power and exclusion (De Abreu, 2022). By embedding social justice education into digital literacy programs, youth can be taught not only to fact-check individual claims but also to question the structural inequalities embedded in climate discourse itself (De Abreu, 2022). This holistic approach—encompassing emotional regulation, critical evaluation, and awareness of justice—offers a transformative model for preparing youth to navigate a complex information landscape while building resilience, agency, and civic responsibility in the face of global ecological crises (De Abreu, 2022).

Research Table

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