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The latest annual report from the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change highlights a dire need for urgent action to protect children's health amid the escalating climate crisis. The report reveals that 2023 recorded the highest global temperatures in over 100,000 years, underscoring the urgency of addressing climate change impacts on young populations.
Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, with exposure to heatwaves doubling from 4.0 days annually in 1986–2005 to 8.4 days in 2013–22. In 2022, extreme weather led to acute food insecurity for more than 27 million children, while 739 million faced high or extremely high water scarcity, according to UNICEF. These conditions increase risks of dehydration, malnutrition, and life-threatening infections like dengue and malaria, posing lifelong consequences on children's physical and mental wellbeing.
Despite these severe risks, children and adolescents remain largely overlooked in climate policies and funding. Young activists' voices contrast sharply with their minimal representation in climate policy discussions. UNICEF reports that only 2.4 per cent of key multilateral climate funds support child-responsive projects, and analysis of national climate adaptation policies from 160 countries shows that only 3 per cent include substantial child-specific measures.
Mental health needs of children, particularly climate anxiety, are also neglected in climate adaptation policies. Adolescents often express dissatisfaction with governmental responses to climate change, and addressing their concerns is crucial. Current policies tend to view children merely as vulnerable populations needing protection, without considering their potential roles as active participants in climate action.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child emphasises children's right to participate in decisions affecting them. Meaningful engagement of children in policy development can uphold intergenerational justice and improve social cohesion. Adolescents' involvement in climate policy can also help them cope with climate anxiety, which should be validated and addressed through active participation.
The Lancet Countdown report warns that the world is on track for nearly 3°C of warming, with dire health consequences if immediate action is not taken. Political commitment and investment are essential to expedite the transition from fossil fuels, enhance mitigation efforts, and implement effective adaptation strategies with children and adolescents at the core.
A new report from the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (PMNCH) calls for large-scale investments in adolescent capabilities and wellbeing, prioritising mental health prevention and preparation for climate change impacts. Governments must address the root causes of the climate crisis, such as fossil fuel dependency, and commit to health-promoting climate actions.
The need for child-centred climate action is clear. As the most affected demographic, children's needs and voices must be prioritised in climate adaptation plans to ensure a sustainable future.
