Children are particularly vulnerable to environmental hazards due to physiological, psychosocial and behavioural factors, and their reliance on caregivers.
The provides an overview of the overlapping impacts of climate change on children's health, focusing on six major hazards: extreme heat, droughts, wildfires, floods and storms, air pollution, and ecosystem changes.
These hazards contribute to adverse birth outcomes, increased risk of death from air pollution and extreme heat, increased infectious diseases like malaria, greater malnutrition and worsening non-communicable diseases such as asthma, along with negative impacts on mental health. The report highlights that climate change affects nearly every aspect of child health and well-being, with compounded impacts from overlapping hazards.
The report identifies five factors that exacerbate the impact of climate change on child health: water scarcity and contamination, food insecurity, infrastructural damage, service disruption, and displacement. These impacts are influenced by socio-economic status, gender, location, health status, and national context. Nearly half of the world's children live in countries highly vulnerable to climate change, undermining advancements in child health.
The report calls for urgent action to:
- Reduce emissions to achieve 1.5°C target with a focus on the health benefits for children
- Protect children from the impact of climate change through adaptation measures
- Prioritise child health in climate policy and investment
RCPCH Officer for Climate Change, Dr Helena Clements, said:
Climate change poses a profound threat to the health and wellbeing of children and young people globally. As paediatricians dedicated to their care and development, we are deeply concerned by the fact that efforts to improve child health are being significantly undermined by the advancing consequences of climate change.
This report from UNICEF is clear: we can no longer talk about improving child health without also addressing the urgent need to tackle climate change. It is our responsibility to call for action on areas such as high greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, food and water supplies, climate-resilient health services, and overall preparedness for our changing climate.
These issues are not just future threats; they are current realities impacting our children today. We cannot allow our children to inherit a damaged and unsafe planet.