Children and climate change
Boys carry containers of water that they have collected from a well in the remote, mountainous village of Dora in Djibouti. The UNICEF-provided well is the only source of water for the village.
UNICEF/NYHQ2006-0200/Kamber
Did you know that the average UK citizen releases the same amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2.5 days as a Malawian does in a year?
UNICEF UK has just launched a new carbon footprint calculator. Check how your footprint compares to the average UK citizen.
In 2008, UNICEF UK released a report highlighting the serious impact climate change has on children and their rights, and calling for the UK government to make children a priority on the issue.
To combat this global crisis, UNICEF is helping children in the countries most vulnerable to climate change by working to prepare for and respond to the increase in natural disasters, providing clean water and protection from diseases, and helping children and young people to have their concerns heard by decision makers. UNICEF UK is working to raise funds for this with a new tool called Carbon Positive, as well as joining other organisations to call for action on climate change from politicians.
What is climate change?
The climate of the earth is always changing, and in the past this has been due to natural causes.
Children stand in the flooded River Shabelle, southern Somalia.
UNICEF/HQ97-0742/Radhika Chalasani
Climate change refers to the recent (in the last 50 years or so) massive rise in average global temperature as a result of human activity.
This rise in temperature has been attributed to greenhouse gas emissions from a huge increase in fuel use. Carbon dioxide is one of the main greenhouse gases, and is caused by the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, and chopping down trees.
Nearly half of UK emissions are due to individual people's actions (such as transport, energy and food choices).
Read some key facts about children and climate change from the UNite to Combat Climate Change campaign.
The effects
Some of the effects of climate change can already be seen. In the UK, spring is arriving earlier, summer is drier and the rise of sea levels is eroding the coastline. Globally, sea levels and temperatures are predicted to rise further, and extreme weather is likely to become more frequent.
A 4°C rise in global temperature could lead to up to 300 million more people suffering from coastal flooding each year as sea levels rise, most of them in developing countries.
Natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes will become more frequent, and higher temperatures could lead to the spread of diseases such as malaria to regions that are not prepared to deal with them.
Extreme weather can also lead to droughts and famine in developing countries. The World Health Organization estimates that each year 150,000 lives are already being lost as a direct result of climate change.
Find out about rising sea levels.
What do polar bears think causes climate change?