Table 2 Domain II. Youths’ perceptions about climate action: barriers

Engaging in action oneself

Lack of agency: personal choices:

My parents were very against me going vegetarian. For a couple of weeks, they made me cook my own food because they were like, “If you’re not going to eat meat, you’re not eating” (17 M.US).

Lack of agency: structural barriers:

The very purpose of “eco-delegates” is that the students suggest ideas and projects that they wish to carry out, but it is above all the school that must approve them (17 F.Fr).

Engaging others in action

With peers:

At the end of the conversation, there’s a very much awkward “Okay, now what do we do?” So I feel like because of that, a lot of people are disincentivized from even bringing it up, just because it can feel so hopeless (17 F.US).

With adults:

They’re like, “I didn’t know, I didn’t do anything wrong, and I don’t want to change that” (17 F.US).