A future for the world’s children?

A WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Commission

No single country provides the conditions to both

support children to live healthy lives today and
provide an environment fit for their future

Child flourishing index Carbon emissions

The index combines survive and thrive Excess CO2 emissions relative to
metrics. Countries with high scores offer 2030 targets reflect a country’s
children the best start in life. threat to future children.

Key 50

Child flourishing index 2030 targets

CO2 emissions
0 1 per capita 0·5 Below Exceeding
(tonnes)

Australia Norway

$ High-income

Panama Uruguay

Upper-middle income

Russia

Lower-middle income
Moldova

Sri Lanka
Central African Republic
$ Low-income

Child flourishing index

0 0·1 0·2 0·3 0·4 0·5 0·6 0·7 0·8 0·9 1

The poorest countries have further to
go towards supporting healthy lives for
children today, but report among the
lowest CO2 emissions per capita.
No country performs well across all measures, but
some, such as Moldova and Sri Lanka, are on
track to beat the 2030 emissions targets while
also being in the top 40–80 countries on child
flourishing measures.
Wealthier countries support
healthier lives for children today, but
threaten the future of all children
through CO2 pollution.

The best science for better lives