Climate Change
The problem
The global failure to confront the climate crisis – the greatest threat of this generation – has created a child rights crisis. It is jeopardizing every child’s fundamental right to health and well-being.
Approximately 1 billion children – nearly half of the world’s children – live in extremely high-risk countries.
A child born today will face an increased risk from severe floods, prolonged droughts, heat stress and changing patterns of disease. Weather-related disasters have displaced at least 43 million children over the last six years and destroyed critical infrastructure, crops and contaminated or disrupted water supplies. As temperatures go up, harvests will shrink, leading to food insecurity, higher food prices and malnutrition in children. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns will impact the spread of infectious diseases, including malaria and dengue. Climate change is expected to worsen air quality with increased ground-level ozone and wildfires.
The health and future of children depend on tackling the triple planetary crisis that is interlinked: climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
Our success or failure in tackling the climate crisis will be judged by two numbers: Keeping 1.5 degrees promise alive and protecting the 1 billion children's lives that are in jeopardy from this crisis.
1 billion
nearly half of the world’s children – live in extremely high-risk countries.
The loss of life and livelihoods caused by unmanaged climate chaos in the present - driven by historic emissions - is a grave intergenerational injustice borne by children... It is now time for world leaders to take seriously their responsibilities not only to listen to young people, but to act to protect vulnerable children facing climate chaos, especially the under 10s.
Kitty van der Heijden, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, at the conclusion of COP28
Pregnant women, newborns and children face distinct risks from climate change-related health impacts, due to a host of physiological, clinical, social and behavioural factors.
Children's unique vulnerabilities
This puts children at a greater risk of developing respiratory illnesses or making existing one’s worse when exposed to air pollution, including increased ground-level ozone and wildfires. More than 1,000 newborns deaths daily are attributable to air pollution.
Pregnant women, infants and young children are more susceptible to the effects of extreme heat. Infants are less able to sweat to cool off their bodies when exposed to extreme heat. Heat stress increases the risk of being born with congenital defects and experiencing heat-related illnesses leading to chronic lifelong issues.
Children are less able to fight off infections effectively whether from contaminated food and water or from vector-borne diseases. Currently, childen under the age of 5 account for approximately 80 per cent of malaria deaths. Diarrhoeal diseases are the second leading cause of child deaths in the same age group.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of food insecurity due to their rapid growth and development. Insufficient access to nutritious food can lead to malnutrition, impair cognitive development and contribute to other health problems.
Children rely on adults for care and protection. In a disaster, they are more susceptible to injuries (e.g., drowning) or increased vulnerability due to separation from caregivers. Caregivers ensure children drink enough water, have access to nutritious food and are protected from harm when children face the stresses imposed by climate change.
Related resources
