Children are among the most vulnerable in the face of extreme weather events and other climate-related crises. These events lead to loss of lives, livelihoods, hunger, and famine. While many populations suffer, children are particularly more helpless and way disproportionately affected.
Besides adverse weather, conflicts significantly contribute to food insecurity. Evidenced by the fact that conflicts have driven 135 million people in 20 countries into hunger and malnutrition.
Notably, economic shocks have been a contributor to hunger, as cited in huge numbers of up to 75 million people affected in 21 countries. Children facing hunger, conflict, inequality, and discrimination experience even greater challenges. In sight of all these, it is crucial to address the impacts of climate crises on children’s rights and lives.
Based on a global food report, this means that in countries where extreme weather events were the main cause of hunger the number of people facing IPC Phase 3 and above has more than doubled from 29 million in 2018 – including 13 million children – to 72 million in 2023.
Following data from the Integrated Food Security Classification or IPC scale, a monitoring system for assessing hunger emergencies in 59 countries, 72 million people in 18 countries were facing IPC/CH Phase 3, defined as crisis levels of acute food insecurity or worse, above, in countries where extreme weather was the main cause of hunger.
According to Save the Children, food crises impact children disproportionately. Younger children without enough to eat and lacking nutritional balance are at high risk of becoming acutely malnourished. Malnutrition leads to stunted growth and impedes mental and physical development, increasing the risk of contracting deadly diseases. Malnutrition remains one of the leading causes of death among young people under five globally.
Jack Wakefield, Global Policy and Advocacy Lead for Climate Change at Save the Children, emphasized that while the focus is on the climate crisis, at its core, should also be a child rights crisis causing deaths and lifelong repercussions. Young kids, who are not responsible for the soaring global emissions, are paying the price for the crisis.
“For the sake of the world’s 2.4 billion kids, let’s hope this builds momentum to putting children’s needs and voices at the center of the global response to climate change – including the new climate finance goal – and that it helps catalyze the urgent action we need to see on every front,” said Wakefield.
Save the Children stresses the importance of prioritizing children’s safety as governments meet for a landmark “expert dialogue” on the disproportionate impacts of climate change on kids at the UN talks in Bonn, Germany, a precursor to the COP29 summit later this year.
The focus on safeguarding children has gained traction, evidenced by the scheduling of the first meeting focused on young kids in global climate negotiations at the UN Bonn Climate Change Conference. Save the Children hopes this will lead to a common understanding of the unique impacts of climate change on children and unlock more investment in climate policy solutions aimed specifically at kids.
Let’s not forget that hunger also increases protection risks for children, as families facing food shortages may resort to desperate measures such as pulling young kids out of school to work or entering into early marriages. These challenges jeopardize children’s well-being, safety, and futures.
