Exploring the Impact of Climate Change on Children in South Africa

Children are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The specific nature of their vulnerability is multidimensional, shaped largely by the physical, social, and emotional changes that take place over the course of childhood. These changes are intensified by children’s heightened sensitivity to negative or high-impact events during the early stages of development and by their general lack of agency and voice. This study highlights the likely impact of climate change on children’s health, education, nutrition, safety and access to adequate housing and sanitation in South Africa – both directly and indirectly. It presents a body of evidence that South Africa’s climate is already changing. This study was commissioned and funded by the UNICEF South Africa in partnership with the Department for Women, Children and People with Disabilities and the Department of Environmental Affairs