Children and Climate Change. Policy Brief

Every year, around 250,000 children die before their fifth birthday as a result of climate change. Changing weather patterns are increasing malnutrition and the spread of disease, and making natural disasters more frequent and intense. Climate change is also driving increased displacement, migration and urbanisation, all of which push more children into poverty and put them at greater risk. To combat these trends, the international community must significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions so they start to fall before 2020. Developed countries should also provide developing countries with enough funding to help them adapt to climate change and address their people’s most urgent needs.