“Institutions like the Institute of Health and Management have an opportunity to lead by creating innovative teaching resources and research projects that equip the next generation of social workers to ensure climate change action is an integral part of their professional toolkit.”
1. Can you reflect on your early experiences as a social worker and the global concerns that shaped your perspective at the time?
When I was a new graduate social worker in 1982, I worried about the possibility of a nuclear war that would create a ‘nuclear winter’. At dinner parties, friends and I would discuss escape plans should the bomb ever drop! The Cold War dominated global politics, and international tension between the United States and the Soviet Union (now Russia) was palpable. Fortunately, through global diplomacy and disarmament agreements, the immediate threat of nuclear war gradually receded.
2. How do you view the shift from earlier global threats to the current existential challenge of climate change?
Four decades later, the world faces a new existential challenge— climate change. Since the signing of the Paris Agreement (2015), the planet has continued to warm, and the threats have become increasingly real. These include:
- Rising Global Temperatures – the world is now about 1.2-1.3o Celius warmer than pre-industrial levels.
- Extreme Weather – increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves, floods, droughts, bushfires, cyclones and hurricanes.
- Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels – Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are melting faster than anticipated and some Pacific Nations are threatened by submersion.
- Biodiversity Loss and Ecosystem Collapse – disruption of ecosystems, species extinction and habitat loss.
These environmental crises profoundly affect human life— impacting economies, food security, water quality, housing, and displacing millions of people globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns:
Climate change is impacting human lives and health in a variety of ways. It threatens the essential ingredients of good health – clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply and safe shelter – and has the potential to undermine decades of progress in global health.
3. What major international climate agreements and political dynamics shape today’s climate action landscape?
The Paris Agreement (2015) represented a landmark achievement in multilateral climate diplomacy, establishing a legally binding framework for collective global action. Many countries, including Australia, have pledged to achieve net zero by 2050, though progress and accountability vary widely. Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and battery storage remains central to mitigation efforts.
However, climate policy remains deeply political. President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UN) on 23 September 2025 and had this to say about climate change: “It’s the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion.” Such rhetoric undermines international cooperation and may delay progress toward the Paris Agreement’s goals. The future of global climate action will depend on innovation, adaptation, and sustained political will across all nations.
4. How do social work’s core values and frameworks position the profession to respond to climate change?
As a social work student, I learned to understand the interconnection between the individual, their family, their community and the wider social and political systems that shape their lives. Social justice—a core value of social work— demands engagement with the social, economic, and health inequities worsened by climate change. Social workers are now researching and writing about climate change and its impact. The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) affirms this responsibility: “The AASW is deeply committed to working towards a sustainable and socially just environment through individual, cultural and structural change. As social workers, we work with communities that are hardest hit by climate change and we appreciate that while climate change is affecting the entire population, the social, health and economic burden is falling most heavily on already vulnerable people (AASW https://www.aasw. asn.au/about-aasw/social-policy-and-advocacy/climate-change/). The AASW is also a signatory to the Climate and Health Alliance Declaration that outlines the wish “to see the threat of climate change and ecological degradation to human health addressed through prompt policy action” (AASW-CAHA-Position.pdf).
Social workers can take political action as a profession to advocate for climate justice and the AASW can provide a foundation for social action, through its connection with the Climate Justice Program established by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) .
5. What does current research reveal about the social and psychological impact of climate change, particularly on disadvantaged groups?
Research consistently shows that disadvantaged individuals and communities bear the greatest burden of climate change. Recent social work studies underscore the need for both education and practice to adapt to this new reality.
A global survey of young people aged 16-25 in more than 10 countries showed “an increase in feelings of hopelessness, depression, and anxiety, including 75% of those surveyed feeling “the future is frightening.” More than half surveyed identified climate change as a source of worry, including feeling sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty about climate change.”
In Australia, Donkers and Robinson (2025) interviewed six social workers about their views on climate change and the role of social work. They found limited integration of environmental awareness into daily practice, urging professional bodies and education providers to embed climate action in policy and pedagogy. They also emphasized valuing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge of Country, recognising its importance for caring for our “more-than-human” world.
6. How is social work education evolving to respond to climate-related challenges, based on recent literature?
In a focused literature review Cwikel (2025) explored how social work education addresses climate change. She identified overlapping frameworks—Green Social Work, Eco-Social Work, Environmental Social Work, Sustainability, Ecofeminism, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Ecological Social Work. Cwikel argued that social work practice must focus on two key areas: (1) Direct practice with individuals and communities affected by climate change (e.g., droughts, sea-level rise); and (2) Disaster management, including responses to heatwaves, floods, and bushfires.
Cwikel referenced the Green Belt Movement founded by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai (1977) in Kenya as a model of grassroots environmental empowerment, particularly for women. By planting over 51 million trees, the movement demonstrated how environmental restoration can also advance social and economic justice. Cwikel concluded that social work curricula must integrate climate education, eco-anxiety awareness, and lessons from past successes.
7. What insights do international studies provide about social work’s role in climate-related disasters and digital adaptation?
At the international level Nagoshi, Pillai and Salehin (2025) examined the evolving role of social workers in disaster contexts, highlighting how they can use data—including morbidity and mortality statistics—to advocate for health equity in climate- affected regions.
Nasir and Jaber (2025) emphasized the potential of digital and online tools to support vulnerable populations, combining mental health support, policy advocacy, and community engagement. They argued that long-term resilience depends on prevention, empowerment, and social justice.
In the United States Mason and Shires, D. A. (2025) surveyed 337 social workers across three states, identifying areas where climate change was already affecting their clients—air pollution, extreme heat and cold, flooding, food insecurity, and unsafe water. They called for greater investment in environmental justice research and resources for practitioners.
8. What opportunities exist for institutions like IHM to lead climate-focused social work education and practice?
In Australia Gallagher, McMahon and Lee (2025:13) surveyed Bachelor of Social Work students in Queensland. While many engaged in sustainable household practices (e.g., recycling, conserving energy, using public transport), few participated in broader climate activism. Students expressed a strong desire for environmental content in their studies, signalling a gap between awareness and action.
Choi, Weng, Feliciano, Benton and Kim (2025) interviewed 25 environmentalists to explore how social work could better address environmental issues affecting vulnerable populations. They found that poverty and limited education significantly reduce people’s ability to respond to environmental risks. Education for individuals and human service organisations was identified as essential for effective adaptation.
Similarly, Collins, Martinez and O’Connor (2025) proposed using a Social-Ecological Systems lens to connect human well-being with environmental health. They argued that social workers can advocate for better housing, engage in community development, and participate in global collaborations addressing environmental justice.
Social workers also support individuals directly affected by climate change—those experiencing eco-anxiety (chronic fear of environmental collapse) or solastalgia (grief over environmental loss). They may assist young people channelling their climate anxiety into activism or help displaced families rebuild their lives after bushfires or floods.
There is no doubt that social work as a profession recognizes the urgency of climate change. The AASW and IFSW provide frameworks for collective action, yet more work is needed to integrate climate literacy into education and practice. Social work must take a transformative approach—raising awareness, developing research-informed practices, and preparing future practitioners to address climate-related challenges at all levels. Institutions like the Institute of Health and Management have an opportunity to lead by creating innovative teaching resources and research projects that equip the next generation of social workers to ensure climate change action is an integral part of their professional toolkit. There are also opportunities for collaboration between disciplines like social work and nursing to create both teaching resources and research projects so that actions are louder than words.
There is no doubt that social work as a profession is aware of the impact of climate change. The AASW and the IFSW have provided frameworks for action. What the research tells us is that more work needs to be done to include this in social work education and practice – in a practical way. Social work.