Already vulnerable children are at greater risk, as the poorest families find it more difficult to withstand shocks. The most vulnerable children are losing their homes, health and education. As climate change makes crises more common, it also makes recovery more difficult.
Nearly 785 million people lack access to basic water services, and by 2040, it is expected that 600 million children will live in areas where the demand for water exceeds the amount available.
Without action now, climate change will exacerbate the inequalities children already face, and future generations will suffer.
There is strong and growing evidence of the impact of climate change and air pollution on children, and time is fast running out to do what it takes.
And according to the latest research from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we have less than 11 years to make the shift necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Atmospheric carbon dioxide needs to be reduced by 45 percent by 2030 to prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5°C — in other words, the threshold beyond which we can avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
This is the first time that a global generation of children will grow up in a world that is far more dangerous and less certain as a result of climate change and environmental degradation. Addressing climate change and reducing its impacts are essential to protecting the world’s children and fulfilling their rights.
