Children around the world are vulnerable to climate change

Children are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and environmental damage worldwide . Extreme weather events can destroy homes, schools, childcare centres and other infrastructure that are critical to children's health and safety. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (the Committee) is calling on States to urgently address the damage and threats to children's rights caused by climate change and environmental degradation. [caption id="attachment_602544" align="alignnone" width="768"] Many children live in severely polluted environments. (PHOTO: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM)[/caption] According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, children are more vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change because they are in a stage of physical development that makes them more sensitive to climate-related hazards such as temperature changes and poor air quality. According to UNICEF, children in poor and developing countries are more vulnerable to extreme weather events and natural disasters. About 1 billion children are at extremely high risk from the impacts of climate change. In Zambia, drought is causing severe food insecurity. In Kabul, Afghanistan, exposure to pollution and cold weather makes children more susceptible to respiratory infections. In Dhaka, Bangladesh, children face severe air pollution, while floods in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, put them at risk of waterborne diseases and food insecurity. Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the regions most affected by climate change and environmental degradation. According to a report by Save the Children, at least 1.85 million children in sub-Saharan Africa will be internally displaced by 2022. The figures reveal the stark reality that children's rights across the region are being undermined at alarming rates by the climate crisis, according to the organization. Despite the fact that countries in sub-Saharan Africa have the lowest share of global greenhouse gas emissions compared to any other country in the world, Nigeria has seen the highest number of people displaced by floods in Borno state and other areas over the past year. By the end of 2022, at least 854,000 people were displaced from their homes, including an estimated 427,000 children. [caption id="attachment_601935" align="alignnone" width="768"] Vietnamese children are fully protected from the harsh changes of climate. (Photo: Saigon Marketing)[/caption] In Somalia, the country most affected by climate change in terms of the number of people displaced by drought. The country has gone through five rainy seasons without a single drop of rain. About 6.6 million people, equivalent to 39% of the country's population, have fallen into severe hunger. This situation has led to the second highest number of internally displaced people in Somalia in the region. Not only in sub-Saharan Africa, climate change seriously threatens children's rights, but in many regions of the world, extreme weather events have had a major impact on children's rights. In Greece, 1,200 children were evacuated when a forest fire broke out near their campsite. In the United States, children were swept away by floodwaters in Kentucky after historic rains, while an extreme heat wave has had a major impact on the West Coast… In late August, the Committee issued its first clear statement of children’s rights to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and provided a comprehensive interpretation of the obligations of States Parties to implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Established in 1989 and ratified by 196 countries, the convention outlines universal rights for children, such as the right to survival, development and health. The general recommendations provide legal guidance on the implications of these rights for a particular topic or area of law. “General Recommendation No. 26 on children’s rights and the environment with a special focus on climate change” is now available, explicitly addressing the climate emergency, biodiversity collapse and widespread pollution, and outlining countermeasures to protect children’s lives. Children around the world are leading the fight against climate change, calling on governments and corporations to take action to protect the planet and their future, including urgent measures to improve air quality, access to clean water and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. With General Recommendation No. 26, the Committee not only amplifies the voices of children, but also clearly identifies children’s rights in relation to the environment that Member States need to respect, protect and fulfil… collectively and urgently. This Recommendation emphasizes that States may be held responsible not only for environmental harm occurring within their borders, but also for environmental impacts and climate change beyond their borders. Governments have an obligation to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights. The Recommendation states that “adverse impacts of climate change” on the enjoyment of children’s rights “give rise to obligations on States to take action to protect against those impacts”. Particular attention should be paid to the disproportionate harms faced by children in disadvantaged circumstances. Vi Minh