climate anxiety reproductive choice
Credit: amanda tipton/Flickr

Having children in a climate-conscious world

Jade Sasser’s latest book explores the racial dimensions of climate anxiety and its impact on reproductive decisions.

Victoria St. Martin reports for Inside Climate News.


In short:

  • Jade Sasser’s new book, “Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question,” investigates how climate anxiety influences reproductive choices, especially among women of color.
  • Survey results indicate that women of color are more likely to have fewer children due to climate concerns compared to other groups.
  • The book emphasizes the need to include marginalized communities in climate anxiety research to understand their unique experiences.

Key quote:

“Climate anxiety is a normal, natural response to climate change. Let’s fight and solve climate change, and then you won’t have the thing to be anxious about.”

— Jade Sasser, environmental scientist

Why this matters:

Understanding how climate anxiety affects mental health and reproductive decisions, especially in marginalized communities is important for crafting inclusive climate policies that consider the diverse experiences of all communities. Read more: Feeling anxious about climate change? Experts say you're not alone.

Black and white image of smoke emitting from smokestacks and trees and water in foreground.

Fossil fuel industry ramps up political spending as investigations stall

Fossil fuel companies poured nearly $100 million into Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign while lobbying against climate regulations, prompting concerns about industry influence and stalled congressional investigations.

Dharna Noor reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
US EPA building sign.
Credit: Paul Brady/Big Stock Photo

EPA reinstates dozens of environmental justice staff

Less than a month after sidelining its entire environmental justice workforce, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is bringing back dozens of employees amid pressure from the White House and legal obligations.

Amudalat Ajasa reports for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
Construction worker standing on metal beams.

Trump administration weakens environmental review process, creating uncertainty

The White House is stripping the Council on Environmental Quality of its authority to oversee the National Environmental Policy Act, leaving federal agencies to develop their own rules for evaluating infrastructure projects.

Naveena Sadasivam reports for Grist.

Keep reading...Show less
Image of the NOAA weather alerts app on a tablet screen.

NOAA facility closures could threaten weather forecasts and public safety

The Trump administration is considering closing key facilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a move that scientists and industry groups warn could weaken weather forecasting, disrupt businesses, and endanger public safety.

Scott Dance reports for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
blue and black butterfly on pink and yellow flower.

Butterfly populations in the U.S. are plummeting, study finds

Butterfly numbers in the contiguous United States have declined by 22% over the past two decades, with habitat loss, climate change, and pesticide use driving the drop, according to new research.

Catrin Einhorn and Harry Stevens report for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Liquid natural gas tanks against a hazy yellow sky with sun.

Trump officials push for expanded natural gas exports in Louisiana

The Trump administration is ramping up support for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, with top officials promoting a major expansion project in southeast Louisiana despite environmental concerns.

Jack Brook reports for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
A piece of paper with the word Lawsuit at the top.

Fossil fuel companies use lawsuits to stall climate action

Governments worldwide are delaying environmental policies due to fear of billion-dollar lawsuits from fossil fuel companies under the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) system.

Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield report for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

Agents of Change in Environmental Justice logo

LISTEN: Reflections on the first five years of the Agents of Change program

The leadership team talks about what they’ve learned — and what lies ahead.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.