Head full of climate, hands ready for action
A workshop on navigating emotions, knowledge, and agency in the climate crisis
The climate crisis confronts us with immense challenges – not only on a scientific level but also emotionally. Information about climate change can be overwhelming and trigger anxiety or helplessness. This workshop supports participants in better understanding their emotional responses to the climate crisis and in developing constructive coping strategies.
In addition to a solid introduction to the science behind CO₂ and global warming, the focus is on building emotional resilience and teamwork skills. The aim is to create spaces that foster courage and hopeful visions of the future – as a foundation for active, responsible engagement.
The workshop concept was developed by environmental psychologist Dr. Anne Berthold and psychologist Dr. Martina Hardmeier; Professorship for Consumer Behavior, Institute for Environmental Decisions (IED), ETH Zurich; in collaboration with focusTerra.
Booking
A workshop must be booked at least 4 weeks in advance.
Please note: The workshop can only be booked from November 2025 onwards.
Detailed information
Activities
Interactive activities in half-class groups combined with plenary
discussions and a guided exhibition tour
School level
Secondary school levels I & II
Age
14 years and older
Duration
2.5 hours
Facilitator
Dr. Martina Hardmeier
in collaboration with focusTerra
- Participants reflect on their own emotions related to climate change, thereby enhancing their self-awareness.
- Through cooperative exercises, participants strengthen their teamwork and communication skills.
- Participants develop empathy by recognizing emotions in others and understanding how emotional reactions like climate anxiety arise.
- Participants practice self-regulation strategies such as healthy distancing and a healthy assumption of responsibility, enabling constructive engagement with climate-related fears and uncertainty.
- Participants build resilience by facing climate-related challenges and gaining a realistic understanding of their individual scope for action.
- Participants cultivate positive visions for the future and foster creative thinking by developing hopeful outlooks based on realistic solutions and historical examples.
- Participants understand the role of CO₂ in the natural and human-induced greenhouse effect and in the carbon cycle, and why CO₂ is considered a problematic greenhouse gas.
- Participants explore concrete climate mitigation and adaptation strategies and evaluate their effectiveness.
Rates
Special offer until the end of the 2025/26 school year
The Dätwyler Foundation enables upper secondary school classes from the canton of Uri to visit the KEEP IT CO₂OL exhibition in Zurich. The foundation covers travel costs as well as the workshop fee. Please indicate in your registration if you would like to benefit from this offer. Detailed information about how to apply for funding from the Dätwyler Foundation will be provided upon registration.
During opening hours (Mon–Fri: 9.00-17.00)
- Schools: 350 CHF per class of max. 28 people
(free of charge for schools recognized by the Dätwyler Foundation – details upon registration)
- Groups: 350 CHF per group of 12 people
Weekend (Sat + Sun, upon special request)
- Schools: 450 CHF per class of max. 28 people
- Groups: 450 CHF per group of 12 people
Please note the cancellation fees.