Lead researcher : Eve Pouliot

Abstract. This research project aims to better understand how exposure to extreme weather events — such as the floods and tornadoes that have struck the Outaouais region in recent years — shapes adolescents’ perceptions of climate change, an issue that remains little studied despite young people’s vulnerability and their key role in addressing future environmental challenges. Drawing on a secondary analysis of interviews already conducted with 28 young people who lived through these events, followed by focus groups held in rural and urban settings, the project seeks to document their perspectives, identify distinct perception profiles, and co-construct adapted research tools with them. Grounded in a participatory approach that places young people at its centre, this exploratory study will lay the groundwork for a broader research program examining the links between disaster experience and environmental engagement, while contributing to the development of concrete initiatives in school and community settings to support young people’s well-being, awareness and sense of agency in the face of climate change.