Climate crisis putting a billion children at ‘extremely high risk,’ warns new UN report

What is the news?

A recent report by UNICEF has stated the children across the globe are vulnerable to the climate crisis. Article highlights the findings of the report.

Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI)

Recently UNICEF along with ‘Fridays with Future’ launched a new report called “The Climate Crisis Is a Child’s Rights Crisis” highlighting the impact of climate change on the lives of children.

The report introduces the new Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), a composite index that ranks nations based on children’s exposure to climate shocks. It provides the first comprehensive look at how exactly children are affected by the climate crisis.

Findings 

• Approximately 1 billion children — nearly half the world’s child population — live in countries that are at an “extremely high risk” from climate impacts
• Almost every single child on the planet has been exposed to at least one climate or environmental stressors, such as air pollution, flooding, heatwaves, tropical storms, flooding, or drought.
• The report found that children are “highly exposed” to exceedingly high levels of air pollution, water scarcity, heat waves, vector-borne diseases, tropical storms, and coastal flooding.
• The 33 extremely high-risk countries for children — including the Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau — collectively are responsible for a mere 9% of global carbon dioxide emissions, reflecting deep inequity regarding who must ultimately deal with the consequences of climate change.

Suggestions

• Governments and businesses should protect children from the climate crisis by reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Increasing investments in health and hygiene services, education, and clean water.
• Providing children with climate education and green skills.
• Including young people in climate negotiations and decision-making
• Ensuring a “green, low-carbon and inclusive” COVID-19 recovery “so that the capacity of future generations to address and respond to the climate crisis is not compromised.”

Terms to know:

• Fridays for Future