As the effects of climate change intensify across the globe, Asia’s youngest children are among the most vulnerable populations affected. Despite this, their needs often remain underrepresented in climate change discussions and policies.
Young children are biologically less equipped than adults to handle environmental shocks such as extreme heat, pollution, flooding, displacement, and diseases intensified by climate change. Exposure to these crises exacerbates malnutrition, contributes to stunting, and increases vulnerability to health shocks.
Research indicates that children born today will experience more extreme weather events over their lifetimes compared to previous generations. This includes increased exposure to heatwaves, droughts, floods, and pollution—all of which have profound impacts on their development and well-being.
Despite evidence showing that children are among the most at risk, they remain an afterthought in climate financing, mitigation, and adaptation strategies. According to recent reports, only a small fraction of global climate funding is child-responsive.
In many Asian countries, these threats are exacerbated by lack of access to high-quality services such as water, sanitation, health, nutrition, and education. This calls for intensified advocacy to ensure that the youngest children’s issues are integrated into climate change financing discussions and actions at global, regional, and national levels.
The evidence is startling, and the crisis is escalating. We cannot afford to keep discussing how children will bear the brunt of climate effects without taking concrete actions to address their needs. Failing to respond to the unique needs of Asia’s young children in climate action plans will have devastating effects for generations to come.
Reference(s):
Time to put Africa's youngest children in climate change consideration
cgtn.com
