2018 Articles

Prioritizing the needs of children in a changing climate

Stanberry, Lawrence Raymond; Thomson, Madeleine C.; James, Wilmot Godfrey

Young children have no direct control over the environment they live in. They cannot control the quality of the air they breathe, the fluids they drink, the food they eat, or their exposure to contaminants or infectious diseases. Children are therefore far more vulnerable to climate-related disasters, and their care and protection from harm is more complicated. The onus is on adults to provide the protection and safety that children need. Here, we set out some specific challenges associated with the impacts of climate change on the world’s 2.3 billion children and suggest ways to address their underprioritized needs.