Climate change: 1 billion children in danger
Almost 1 in 2 children at risk, according to the new UNICEF report
The impacts of climate change put almost half of the world's children at risk: the latest report released by UNICEF says
Climate and environmental risks are having devastating impacts on the well-being and future of children.
While atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are the highest for at least 3.5 million years, in many parts of the world, people are facing multiple climate-related impacts: drought, floods, air pollution, water scarcity.
All of these things have consequences: malnutrition and disease.
Of course, children are the most vulnerable to these dangers.
According to UNICEF
impacts of the climate crisis about 1 billion children "extremely high risk"
In many countries, children experience multiple climate shocks.
Add to this the fact that in the poorest countries, and most affected by rising temperatures, essential services (such as water, sanitation and health care) are often poor.
- The water (and plastic) problem
- But the disaster has many causes.
In the next thirty years, the world could produce four times more plastic than ever. And this is a major problem for water.
Without plastic waste management, groundwater pollution, plastic-clogged drains and air pollution caused by waste combustion could threaten access to drinking water, continue to cause flooding and pose great risks environmental and health.
The places where it is more difficult to be a child
The UNICEF report gives us several examples of situations that are already very serious.
In Afghanistan, as the country plunges into crisis due to the return to power of the Taliban, children in Kabul are at greater risk of respiratory infections, including pneumonia, due to the burning of fossil fuels and other environmental contaminants.
In Bangladesh, in cities, air pollution in Dhaka is contributing to the increase of diseases: such as asthma, dust allergy, heart disease, lung cancer.
In Cambodia, over the past year, the country has been plagued by the worst floods of the decade. The floods affected about 900,000 people. Schools have been closed and the risk of waterborne diseases and food insecurity have increased.
In the Republic of Congo, heavy rains caused the Mutahyo River to overflow, resulting in several villages and agricultural areas being flooded, damaged or completely destroyed. Livestock and food supplies were wiped out.
In Mozambique in 2021 the tropical cyclone Eloise brought powerful winds, torrential rains and severe floods. It damaged and destroyed farmland, vital infrastructure and thousands of homes - a devastating blow to families still recovering from Cyclone Idai, which hit them less than two years ago. Many have lost everything. He is left with only the clothes they were wearing at the time of the hurricane.
In Zimbabwe, drought has led to food insecurity. UNICEF data show that over 1 million women and children are in need of humanitarian nutritional assistance. While 98 thousand children under the age of 5, in order to hope to survive, would need immediate nutritional assistance .
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