At the first-ever Africa Climate Summit in September 2023, leaders issued the Nairobi Declaration of Climate Change and Call to Action, establishing Africa's collective stance for the global climate negotiations at COP28. This milestone addresses the disproportionate impact of the climate crisis on the African continent. However, the participation of children in these critical discussions remains minimal.
The youngest children are among the most vulnerable populations affected by climate change. A recent children's declaration, presented to the leaders of Kenya and the African Union Commission, emphasized the urgent need to include their voices in climate action plans at both regional and national levels.
Early childhood development advocates highlight that young children are biologically less equipped to handle environmental shocks such as heat, pollution, flooding, displacement, and diseases exacerbated by climate change. Exposure to crises like drought and famine leads to malnutrition, stunting, and increased vulnerability to health issues. Global data indicate that over 1.7 million premature deaths among children under five are caused by pollution annually.
Research shows that children born in 2020 will experience significantly more wildfires, crop failures, droughts, river floods, and heatwaves throughout their lifetimes compared to those born in 1960. Despite this, children are largely overlooked in climate financing, mitigation, and adaptation strategies, as well as in essential service delivery.
A recent UNICEF report reveals that only 2.4% of global climate funding is child-responsive, while 98% of children in African countries face high or extremely high risks from climate change. In Africa's poorest communities, these threats are intensified by limited access to vital services like water, sanitation, health, nutrition, and education.
There is an urgent need for intensified advocacy to ensure that the needs of Africa's youngest children are integrated into climate financing discussions and actions at global, regional, and national levels. Allocating more resources to climate crisis hotspots in Africa, where severe environmental impacts meet large populations of vulnerable communities, is essential.
The evidence is clear, and the climate crisis is worsening. Ignoring the unique needs of Africa's young children in climate action plans will have devastating consequences for generations to come. It's time to move beyond talk and take meaningful action to protect the future of Africa's youngest.
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Time to put Africa's youngest children in climate change consideration
cgtn.com
