Intergenerational Solidarity Ignites Lasting Change

When I started my job in community-led stewardship, I was expecting to be surrounded by a diversity of plants. I was much more surprised to find myself surrounded by a diversity of elders, too. While working together to pull stems and cut leaves, they offered bits of knowledge and wisdom in passing conversation. I pressed these lessons tenderly into my palms, reflecting on the intergenerational solidarity unfolding in this space. Through these elders, I received glimpses of the world that previously evaded me. In them, I witnessed an unprecedented number of possible futures for myself.

In a healthy ecosystem, diverse species work together to create a dynamic web. White oak trees, for example, feed at least 934 caterpillar species across the U.S. Sulphur shelf mushrooms grow on oak trees, breaking wood back down into soil. It’s impossible to say which species matters more in keeping the forest alive.

Similarly, effective climate action requires individuals to become a synergistic network. The problem with our network is its stark lack of intergenerational relationships—and we need stories to fix that.

Age is not a problem, but intergenerational animosity is

When people think about the division between activist and denier, they often make the mistake of assuming that it falls on generational lines. This deprives us of intergenerational collaboration, a vital force for systemic change.

Animosity surfaces all the time, especially among youth. Billie Eilish, an international pop star, has become an embodiment of the Gen Z zeitgeist. In 2019, she made a controversial statement: “Hopefully the adults and the old people start listening to us [about climate change] so that we don’t all die. Old people are gonna die and don’t really care if we die, but we don’t wanna die yet.” Although her assumptions may be inaccurate, her statements reflect youth perceptions at a broad level.

Similarly, older generations have a track record of belittling younger people for their naivete. According to a critical analysis of social media content from 2018 to 2019, certain elders discredited youth protests by calling them “climate cults” and telling the organizers to “go back to school.” These attitudes have contributed to a social environment that often excludes youth from policy decisions.

Yet studies show that climate beliefs might not differ much across generations after all. Researchers have found that people across generations are comparably concerned about environmental losses. A study in the UK also found that older people are more likely to believe in the power of environmentally conscious actions, as younger people are more likely to resign in despair. In fact, political orientation and environmental values are much stronger predictors of climate beliefs than age. Still, youths and elders often view each other as a lost cause, cementing a bias that prevents authentic exchange from happening.

Thanks to the stories we tell about each other, we deter ourselves from reaching beyond our generational echo chambers.

Elders bring the tinder, youths bring the fire

According to Tory Stephens, Creative Manager of climate fiction at Grist, the cost of intergenerational division is steep:

“Strong intergenerational relationships are crucial for building resilient communities and fostering innovation. When people of different ages come together, they share knowledge, perspectives, and experiences, preventing the loss of wisdom and ancestral knowledge often passed down through informal interactions.”

The implication is that we need these lessons to repair our climate.

Older generations carry the most knowledge about the natural world. It’s not just that people have always grown wiser with age, but also that the present cohort of younger generations experience far fewer opportunities to learn about nature. At a time when youth are increasingly reliant on elders for their nature education, intergenerational bonds are also weakening. This has led to an actual loss of traditional ecological knowledge. Without sufficient context, youth will struggle to identify holistic climate solutions.

Nonetheless, younger generations are the ones who push our world into better modes of living. Their drive often stems from heightened emotions, a hallmark trait of the youthful spirit. They consistently experience greater levels of climate-related fear, guilt, and outrage than their elders, even though the generational gap between climate beliefs have narrowed over the years.

Psychologically, these emotions—especially outrage—can be compelling motivators. They add a stubborn edge to idealism, turning pipe dreams into demands. Elders would benefit from taking inspiration, as they often lack the determination to push for change. Indeed, in the case of fossil fuels, Pew Research found that 66% of Gen Z oppose more offshore drilling, whereas only 46% of Boomer and older generations agree.

Youth need elders for knowledge. Elders need youth for passion. The challenge is bringing them together.

Two birds (one distinctly red) perch on a porch railing.
Credit: Barbara Roscoe

Stories act like a connective tissue

Like the intricate network of fungi beneath every forest floor, stories can connect elders to youths. They can transcend the boundaries of the medium which contains them to function as a vessel for information and connection. Regardless of the form they take, stories can heal our intergenerational divide.

Implicit biases make up much of the challenge, as they often prevent constructive conversations from happening. Stories, however, can transcend the limits of reality. They can put anyone in good faith dialogue. Where youth assume ignorance, stories can demonstrate that older generations do have relevant knowledge to impart. Where elders assume immaturity, stories can portray the careful deliberations of younger generations before they act.

Stories can also depict robust examples of intergenerational collaboration, providing an important model for people to replicate in their own lives. Consequently, stories can profoundly improve mutual regard.

Bryce Cracknell, a writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, works at the intersection of storytelling and environmental justice. He explains that stories play a powerful role in generating momentum at the grassroots:

“What I appreciate most about activism is that it is rooted in the hope and belief of positive change—the idea that a movement can bring people together from all walks of life and move toward a common goal. One of the best ways to do that is to simply meet people where they are. Share your hopes and dreams, share stories about why you’re in this space, share why these issues are important to you and your loved ones—and through those conversations, I think we’ll be surprised by our common ground. Listening actively, showing people that they’re heard is how we bring people along and actually move in a direction that matters.”

By pulling shared desires into focus, stories help us recognize the value and sensibility of working together. The theme of intergenerational solidarity appears frequently in solarpunk climate fiction, an emerging genre of science fiction that Grist spearheads through their annual contest Imagine 2200.

Tory Stephens, who leads the contest, raises the example of And Now The Shade by author Rich Larson. Rooted in Mexican heritage, this story illustrates the way that younger generations can arrive at innovation through culturally-specific, ancestral wisdom.

Here is yet another valuable function of stories: they liberate knowledge from the limits of physical proximity, transmitting wisdom to younger readers who might not have direct access to their elders. This expands the possibilities for intergenerational connection.  

Intergenerational solidarity achieves results

For proof that intergenerational solidarity delivers, look no further than the latest climate protest in front of Citibank’s headquarters.

This summer, elders from the organization Third Act joined forces with youth and mid-life adults to block over a thousand Citi employees from entering the building for over an hour. Dressed up as Costco hot dogs, protestors demanded that Costco use its leverage as Citibank’s major partner to stop the funding of fossil fuel expansions.

According to Third Act’s website, this campaign has caught the attention of major media outlets like Bloomberg and the New York Times. The former reported that the pressure “is beginning to wear on Citibank employees and executives alike.” These results could not have been achieved without the collaborative efforts of both young and old.

As climate experts emphasize, our fate remains unwritten. So, let’s fill the pages with the right stories.

As for the National Wildlife Federation, I am incredibly encouraged by the formation of a Youth Advisory Council (YAC) for the Climate Equity Collaborative (CEC). As an inaugural member, I deeply appreciate the invitation to influence the values, structure, and mission of the CEC. It represents a significant step towards broader intergenerational solidarity, and I hope that every iteration of YAC will encourage more institutions to do the same.

Victoria Wang is a member of this year’s Youth Advisory Council. Read blogs written by other members of the 2024 YAC: