This online course is your starting point to becoming a climate change ambassador, someone who not only understands the crisis but also inspires action in others. You will explore the roles that industries and individual choices play in greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, helping you understand the scale, complexity, and urgency of the problem. This foundation equips you to raise awareness and spark meaningful conversations about climate action in your community. 

But tackling climate change goes beyond facts and figures, to explore emotions and feelings about them. In this course, we explore eco-anxiety, the emotional toll that environmental change can have on people. Often described as climate grief, this response can mirror the well-known Kübler-Ross stages of grief (Friedrich & Wüstenhagen, 2017), including people who accept the challenge head-on and those who may deny or deflect it. We will help you understand these defense mechanisms (Cramer, 1998), including the tendency to shift blame, and guide you through recognizing and addressing them in yourself and others. 

Beyond understanding the science of climate change, this course focuses on eco-anxiety, the emotional response that arises when thinking about environmental challenges. You will learn how to recognise eco-anxiety in yourself and others, and develop practical strategies to manage these feelings constructively. 

Throughout the course, you will cultivate emotional resilience and actionable skills to respond effectively to climate challenges. You will explore mindfulness techniques, cognitive-behavioural strategies, sustainable living practices, and approaches to communicate climate knowledge effectively. 

By working through case studies, best practices, and independent projects, you will see how communities, universities, and organizations successfully address climate challenges while supporting mental well-being. You will also have opportunities to develop practical solutions to eco-anxiety scenarios, both for individuals and institutions.