Presentation – CVC2026-726

The impact of climate change on the development of children in Greece: A narrative review of communication, education, play, and place experiences

Evangelia Kyritsi, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Background: The Mediterranean region is among the areas most acutely affected by climate change. Yet, despite concerns raised by organisations such as UNICEF and UNESCO, its developmental consequences for children in this area remain underexplored.

Aim: Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory (1979), this presentation draws on interdisciplinary evidence (linguistics, educational research, developmental psychology, environmental science) to examine how climate change may shape childhood experiences in Greece. The focus is on four areas: communication, education, play, and place experiences.

Method/approach: A narrative review was conducted for scientific articles published during the last decade (2016–2026). The databases that were used were Scopus, PubMed, and ERIC. Articles published in English and addressing either international contexts or Greece were included. Search terms included climate change, Greece, child, language, communication, education, play, space. These keywords were used in various combinations (e.g., climate change, climate change and child language, climate change and Greece and child language).

Results/findings: The results showed that most studies approach climate change from the perspective of environmental sciences and health sciences. The impact of climate change on child development has been explored in a limited number of international studies. Interestingly, no published studies were identified that examined climate change in Greece in relation to child language or communication, child play or place experiences. Further, studies that investigated climate change and education in Greece focused on environmental education rather than broader developmental outcomes.

Conclusion: The absence of Greek research in these areas should not be interpreted as an indication of limited significance. Rather, evidence from international research, combined with existing knowledge about the impact of climate change on children’s lives, suggests that children in Greece may face compounding developmental vulnerabilities: those arising directly from climate change and those resulting from the absence of social policies designed to mitigate its effects and strengthen child resilience. This possibility warrants future investigation.

Implications for children and families: This narrative review suggests that children’s opinion, their lived experiences, and hopes for the future need to be voiced. They are essential to effective policies.

Implications for practitioners: Practitioners have a key responsibility to help children and their families recognise that their voices matter. They need to equip themselves with the knowledge needed to support empowerment and advocacy.

Keywords: climate change, Greece, child, communication, education, play, place

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: