The climate crisis is not just changing the planet – it is changing children.
As of 2022:

739 million children were exposed to high or extremely high water scarcity
436 million children live in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability
Every region of the world, including high-income countries, faces challenges related to water scarcity and with climate change, the problem is projected to get much worse over the coming decades.

Droughts are becoming more frequent and more severe, lasting longer and covering wider areas as a consequence of climate change and increased water demand – contributing to a deterioration of water scarcity scores. In addition, climate change is disrupting weather patterns and rainfall, leading to unpredictable water availability and exacerbating water scarcity.

From the moment of conception until they grow into adulthood, the health and development of children’s brains, lungs, immune systems and other critical functions are affected by the environment they grow up in.

Geography does not protect against climate change; it is affecting children everywhere – even in in high-income countries – and the world is not doing nearly enough to protect them.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Children are not like little adults. Their bodies and minds are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change such as pollution, deadly diseases and extreme weather.

Children have been ignored.
Despite their unique vulnerability, children have been either ignored or largely disregarded in the response to climate change. Only 2.4 per cent of climate finance from key multilateral climate funds support projects incorporating child-responsive activities.

As the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has pointed out, taking their rights and their views into account would lead to more ambitious and effective policies on environmental protection. And yet children have almost no formal role in climate policy and decisions, and they are rarely considered in existing climate adaptation, mitigation or finance plans and actions.
Children must be at the centre of the global response.
Adapting essential services, compensation for loss and damage, disaster risk reduction, early warning and increased investment in decarbonization can make the difference between life and death, a future or disaster, for the planet’s children.

Governments have an obligation to ensure a clean, healthy and sustainable environment to protect and fulfil children’s rights. It is our collective responsibility to put children at the centre of urgent climate action to ensure that all – including the most vulnerable – have a liveable future.
Highlights
This report builds on 2021’s Children’s Climate Risk Index and examines water scarcity and water vulnerability along with the critical actions the international community must take at COP28 to protect children against climate change. The report is available in French, Spanish and Arabic, follow the links to download.