COVID-19 and the desire of children to return to nature: Emotions in the face of environmental and intergenerational injustices

Abstract

the global cOViD-19 public health crisis has driven policies of lockdowns and social distancing that have had negative social and economic impacts, worsening inequalities and social exclusions, and mixed environmental impacts. this study engaged children from schools with diverse environmental pedagogies in online focus groups about nature and their experiences with nature during the pandemic. Participants expressed fear of the unknown virus, sadness from isolation, longing for family and friends, and yearning for the freedom to enjoy the outside world. they revealed knowledge of both positive and negative impacts of lockdowns on the environment. their experiences with nature demonstrate how environmental injustice affects the lives of children from public schools in urban contexts, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, who reported less contact with nature during the lockdown. as a group, children are aware and very critical of intergenerational environmental injustice and argue for the need for adults to act.

Children’s Drawing of Plant Life in the Time of COVID-19: An Analysis of the Changes Related to Content and Colour over a Two-Year Period

“…Consequently, the data provided by this study are consistent with the hypothesis that the drawings in the sample reflect a learning loss due to the school closures following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, it should be noted that, during the lockdowns, environmental and outdoor school activities were moved to the virtual world, and although online activities played a key role in maintaining access to school, the truth is that this situation implied a loss of sensory experiences and emotional connection with nature [ 28 ]. Thus, crucial areas of the comprehension of flora, such as the variety of plant specimens, the anatomical details of plants, and the ecological links between plants and animals, could have been affected by the lack of schooling in the 2019/20 academic year.…”

The impact of reduced time spent outdoors during the Covid-19 lockdown on the health and well-being of young people in Czechia

“…Also Lõhmus et al (2021) found that more greenery around the home is associated with fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. In this context, however, Sharifi and Khavarian-Garmsir (2020) and Rios et al (2021) point to the "environmental injustice" resulting from the COV-ID-19 pandemic. Children from families with higher socio-economic status are more likely to have "holiday homes" in rural areas with large gardens.…”

An exploration of how the disruption of mainstream schooling during the COVID-19 crisis provided opportunities that we can learn from so that we may improve our future relationship with the more-than-human world

“…In research from England, 75.7% of urban parents said the lockdowns had caused them to change their attitudes to the importance of access to green space for their children (Howlett and Turner 2022 ). Research also shows that the lockdowns accentuated a desire to connect to the natural world for children’s improved wellbeing and to improve their relationship with nature (Quay et al 2020 ; Pouso et al 2021 ; Rios et al 2021 ). This has potential significance in relation to the commitment to the United Nations commitment to human and planetary wellbeing (United Nations 2021 ).…”