How climate change reduces children’s outdoor play opportunities in India.

Source: The post how climate change reduces children’s outdoor play opportunities in India has been created, based on the article “Heatwaves are evaporating the right to play” Published in “The Hindu” on 17h July 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-governance-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources,

Context: The article discusses how climate change is reducing children’s opportunities to play outdoors, particularly in India. It highlights the dangers of extreme weather like heatwaves and emphasizes the need for better urban planning and community efforts to ensure safe play spaces for all children.

What is the Importance of Play for Children?

1. Play is crucial for children’s overall development, enhancing their social skills, physical health, mental well-being, and creativity.
2. The United Nations highlights its importance by designating June 11 as the International Day of Play, underscoring the right to play as vital for children.
3. According to UNICEF, play is a fundamental right of every child, protected under Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
4. The ‘Value of Play’ report reveals that globally, one in five children lacks sufficient playtime, and one in ten does not engage in outdoor play at all.

How Does Climate Change Affect Children’s Play?

1. Climate change significantly impacts children’s play by making outdoor environments unsafe and inaccessible due to extreme weather conditions like heatwaves and floods.
2. In India, children face increased risks with the country ranked 26 out of 163 on UNICEF’s Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) 2021, indicating high vulnerability to climate impacts.
3. A UNICEF analysis highlights that South Asia has the highest number of children exposed to extreme temperatures, which limits their opportunity to play outdoors and interact with peers, crucial for their development and mental health.

What Challenges Do Children Face in Accessing Play Spaces?

1. Many children, especially in low-income areas, face significant barriers to accessing safe play spaces due to urbanization and environmental degradation.
2. Socio-economic disparities, and social identities such as caste, class, disability, and gender, also limit access to leisure and public spaces.
3. In India, public playgrounds are often non-existent or poorly maintained in poorer communities.
4. Overcrowded and small living conditions in urban areas restrict indoor play opportunities.
5. Places designated for playgrounds in some low-income areas are frequently misused as dumping grounds for solid waste, further reducing available spaces for children to play.

What Should be Done?

1. Implement bioclimatic design principles in playground infrastructure to create safe, climate-adapted play areas.
2. Expand access to green spaces within cities to counteract the urban heat island effect, making outdoor play more feasible.
3. Community initiatives should focus on improving playground conditions and creating shaded areas in parks for children to play during warmer days.
4. Adapt and preserve traditional architectural techniques for natural cooling in building playgrounds and public spaces.
5. Encourage children to participate in local environmental actions, such as biodiversity mapping, to empower them and integrate their perspectives in urban planning and climate resilience strategies.

Question for practice:

Discuss how climate change affects children’s opportunities to play outdoors, particularly in India, and suggest measures to mitigate these challenges.