Today, at least half a billion young people have been exposed The United Nations agency notes that with a large number of heatwaves, puts them on the front lines of climate change.
Furthermore, by the middle of this century, it is estimated that more than two billion children will be exposed to “heat waves are more frequent, longer lasting and more severe”.
“The The climate crisis is a child rights crisis – and it has taken a heavy toll on children’s lives and futures, “warning UNICEF Chief Executive Officer, Catherine Russell.
She added that this year’s wildfires and heatwaves that have swept across India, Europe and North America are “another sobering example of the impact of climate change on children”.
Adolescents are at higher risk
New data from the agency is published in its report, The coldest year of the rest of their livesemphasizes that young children face greater risks than adults in the face of extreme heat events.
This is because they are less able to regulate their body temperature than adults. The more children are exposed to heat waves, the greater their risk of health problems including chronic respiratory diseases, asthma and cardiovascular disease.
“The The world urgently needs to invest in building their resilience — and in adapting to all the systems on which children rely to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing climate,” emphasized UNICEF.
This is regardless of whether the average global temperature rises 1.7 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels if greenhouse gas emissions are low or 2.4 degrees Celsius if emissions are high.
A girl drinks water in her school’s playground, in Goré, south of Chad.
Protection – priority
Protecting children from the growing impact of heatwaves should be a priority for all countries, UNICEF said in an appeal.urgent and powerful emission reduction measures to stop global warming – and save lives”.
UN Children’s Fund data shows that children in northern regions will face the sharpest increase in heatwave severity, while by 2050, almost half Children in Africa and Asia will face constant exposure to extreme temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Celsius).
“This will have a devastating impact on children,” said Vanessa Nakate, climate activist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. “The more frequent, prolonged and severe heat waves children are exposed to, the greater the impact on future health, safety, nutrition, education, access to water and livelihoods. .”
A young girl washes her face with newly installed tap water at her home in Cambodia.
The call to adapt
Highlighting the devastating impact of drought in the Horn of Africa after four failed rainy seasons, Ms. Nakate stressed that “lives are being lost to preventable causes because the world is acting too much. slow in mitigating and not providing enough support for adaptation.”
Children “who are least responsible for climate change are bearing its greatest costs”,” she continued, noting that although Africa generates less than 4% of global emissions, it suffers from some of the “most brutal” effects of the climate crisis.
“Almost every country is experiencing changing heat waves,” UNICEF said. “What each government does now will determine the survival of those least responsible for this crisis – our children and young people.”
