UNICEF: 1.1 Billion Children at Risk from Climate Crisis, Pollution

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) revealed that about 1.1 billion children in the world are already at extremely severe risks due to the devastative fallouts of the climate crisis and pollution.

A report issued by the organization - quoted by the American (Al-Hurra) channel today, Friday - stated that  every child around the world is at risk of at least one of the effects of today's climate crisis, including heat waves, floods, hurricanes, diseases, droughts, and air pollution."

The report explained that about one billion children who live in 33 countries experience three or four impacts of climate change simultaneously.

These countries include India, Nigeria, the Philippines, and a large part of sub-Saharan Africa.

It called organizations to involve youth in all climate negotiations and decisions, including the UN COP26 summit in Glasgow, United Kingdom (UK) next November.

The report noted that the effects of the climate crisis are very unfair and likely to get worse.

It added that 920 million children are highly vulnerable to water scarcity, 820 million to heatwaves, and 600 million to vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, which are likely to worsen with the spread of climatic conditions suitable for the spread of mosquitoes and pathogens.

Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, said for the first time, this report provides a complete picture of where and how children are exposed to climate change, and this picture is unimaginably terrible.

She went on to say that children are uniquely vulnerable to climate risks compared to adults.

Fore stressed that decisions will determine the future of children, adding  that children and young people must be recognized as the rightful heirs of this planet we all share."

She explained that improving children's access to basic services could significantly increase their resilience to these climate risks.

Climate scientists have warned of severe impacts on the near horizon after the 21st century has seen more than a few natural disasters getting worse or more likely due to global warming, but a series of deadly extreme weather this summer has made previous climate predictions for 2021 a reality that cannot yet be ignored right now.