The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched a petition to urge government entities, development partners, and the private sector to prioritize children in their climate investments. Under a campaign dubbed “Invest in Climate, Invest in Children!”, UNICEF aims to draw attention to the profound impact of climate change on children.
According to UNICEF’s groundbreaking Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) in 2021, approximately 1 billion children live in high-risk countries. Zimbabwe is one such country experiencing the effects of climate change through cyclical droughts, floods, and extreme weather events. Climate change-induced events are becoming more frequent and intense, leading to severe impacts on children and their communities.
“The increasing frequency and severity of climate-related hazards pose significant risks to children worldwide. UNICEF is calling for an urgent increase of child-centered climate investments to reduce the risk of shocks caused by climate change on children,” said UNICEF.
The humanitarian and development organization said the current El Niño crisis affecting large parts of Zimbabwe serves as a reminder of how climate-related emergencies are impacting the lives of children. “The challenges created by El Niño in Zimbabwe come at a time when the country is also faced with public health emergencies related to cholera and polio, putting Zimbabwe into a complex, multi-dimensional humanitarian crisis,” said UNICEF.
UNICEF’s campaign aims to raise awareness about the vulnerability of children to climate change and calls for concrete actions to mitigate these risks. Through the petition, UNICEF seeks to mobilize support from governments, development partners, and the private sector to prioritize children in their climate investments and ensure their protection from the adverse effects of climate change.
