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A recent UNICEF report titled ‘The Climate Changed Child’ reveals that one in three children, equating to 739 million globally, reside in areas experiencing severe water scarcity. This situation is predicted to worsen due to climate change.
Challenge of dwindling water availability
The report also highlights the compounded challenge of dwindling water availability and inadequate drinking water and sanitation services, which puts children at an increased risk.
Released ahead of the COP 28 climate change summit, ‘The Climate Changed Child’ report underscores the threats posed to children due to water insecurity, a significant impact of climate change. It provides a comprehensive analysis of global water security, focusing on water scarcity, water vulnerability, and water stress.
The report further elaborates on the numerous ways children are affected by the climate crisis, including disease, air pollution, and extreme weather events like droughts and floods. From conception to adulthood, a child’s environment significantly influences their health and development. For instance, children are more susceptible to air pollution due to their faster breathing rates and ongoing organ development.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, citing the report, emphasized the devastating impact of climate change on children. She noted that polluted air, poor nutrition, and extreme heat adversely affect children’s physical and mental health. As their world changes with drying water sources and increasing frequency of extreme weather events, so does their well-being. Despite children demanding change, their needs are often sidelined.
Global Water Scarcity Threatens Children
The report reveals that the largest proportion of children exposed to water scarcity reside in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. These regions are characterized by limited water resources, high levels of seasonal and inter-annual variability, declining groundwater levels, and drought risks.
A staggering 436 million children are grappling with the dual burden of high water scarcity and very low drinking water services, a condition known as extreme water vulnerability. This situation poses significant risks to their lives, health, and well-being and is a leading cause of preventable disease-related deaths among children under five.
The most affected individuals reside in low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Southern Asia, and Eastern and South-Eastern Asia. In 2022, 436 million children lived in areas facing extreme water scarcity risks. Countries most impacted include Niger, Jordan, Burkina Faso, Yemen, Chad, and Namibia, where eight out of 10 children are exposed to these conditions.
The report also highlights that currently, 559 million children worldwide are exposed to severe heat or heatwaves, a number projected to rise to 2.02 billion children by 2050.
Over the past six years, weather-related disasters have displaced 43 million children, equivalent to the displacement of about 20,000 children per day.
Children at Risk: Drought Impact
Since 2000, there has been a 29% increase in the number and duration of droughts globally. A comprehensive review in India revealed that drought severely impacts children’s nutrition and health by compromising their diet. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by drought, with significant implications for their education, nutrition, health, sanitation, and security.
In 2022, the top five countries facing drought were India, Niger, Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Jordan. There were 46 countries where over a quarter of children were at high risk of drought. This included 24 countries where over half of the children were exposed to drought and 10 countries where over three-quarters of the children faced drought exposure.
Given these circumstances, it is crucial to invest in safe drinking water and sanitation services as a primary line of defense to protect children from the impacts of climate change. The report also warns of increasing water-related stresses due to climate change, with the ratio of water demand to available renewable supplies on the rise.
By 2050, it is projected that over 35 million children will be exposed to high or very high levels of water stress. The Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia are currently experiencing the most significant shifts in this regard.
Despite these threats, children have been largely overlooked in climate change discussions. For instance, only 2.4% of climate finance from key multilateral climate funds supports projects that incorporate child-responsive activities.
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