Children and Climate Change

INTRODUCTORY LEARNING MODULE
Children and Climate Change

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE
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Learning Objectives
After completing the module participants will be able to:
Explain how climate change can affect children
Describe how measures to build climate resilience

and mitigate climate change can benefit children
Illustrate key instruments and good practices for

empowering children to act on climate change
Identify opportunities for protecting children’s rights
in a changing climate

Sections
OVERVIEW
SECTION
SECTION 11 SECTION
SECTION 22 SECTION
SECTION 33 SECTION
SECTION 44 SECTION
SECTION 55
The
The Impact
Impact of
of Strengthening
Strengthening The
The Benefits
Benefits of
of Empowering
Empowering A
A Climate
Climate
Climate
Climate Children’s
Children’s Climate
Climate Children
Children to
to Act
Act Change
Change Agenda
Agenda
Change
Change on
on Resilience
Resilience to
to Change
Change on
on Climate
Climate for
for Children
Children
Children
Children Climate
Climate Mitigation
Mitigation for
for Change
Change
Change
Change Children
Children through
through
Education
Education
1 The Impact of Climate Change on Children
Section title
Children on the Climate Frontline

There may be no greater,
growing threat facing the
world’s children – and
their children – than
climate change.

The World’s Distribution of
Children and Climate Risks
Population under 18 years of age per sq km in 2015

The World’s Distribution of
Children and Climate Scenarios
The extent
The extent of
of GHG
GHG emission
emission cuts
cuts will
will determine
determine how
how
many children
many children will
will live
live in
in areas
areas particularly
particularly affected
affected by
by
climate change.
climate change. Taking
Taking ambitious
ambitious action
action toto limit
limit
emissions is
emissions is therefore
therefore crucial
crucial for
for children’s
children’s future
future well-
well-
being.
being.

Climate Change
Impacts on Children
Explore more by clicking on the circles, hover over them to see which one to click first.

Nearly 160 million
children live in areas of
high or extremely high
drought severity.

Children and Drought Severity Map
Examples of drought prone areas with high concentrations of children

Potential Impacts of
Droughts and Water Stress
on Children
Lack of
Lack of clean
clean water
water Development of
Development of Exploitation and
Exploitation and
and undernutrition
and undernutrition diseases
diseases emotional disruption
emotional disruption

Over half a billion
children live in
extremely high flood
occurrence zones.

Children and Flood Occurrence Map
Examples of flood occurrence areas with high concentrations of

children

Potential Impacts of Floods
and Severe Storms on
Children
Diseases due
Diseases due to
to
Injuries and
Injuries and
food/water
food/water Malnutrition
Malnutrition
drowning
drowning
contamination
contamination

Extreme heat will
become
a growing and a regular
problem for children in
many parts of the world.

Potential Impact
of Heat Stress on Children
Heat stroke/
Heat stroke/ Vulnerability
Vulnerability
Dehydration
Dehydration
heat cramps
heat cramps to other
to other diseases
diseases

Activity: Complete the
Puzzle!

Air pollution led to
661,000 deaths of
children under 5 years
of age in 2012.

Potential Impact of Air
Pollution on Children
Prenatal health
Prenatal health
Pneumonia
Pneumonia Asthma
Asthma
effect
effect

Lethal and debilitating
diseases, particularly
dangerous for children, are
highly susceptible to changes
in the climate

Diseases/Malaria & Dengue
Temperature suitability for the transmission of

malaria
Raising global
Raising global temperatures
temperatures have
have made
made
many regions
many regions suitable
suitable for
for transmission
transmission of
of malaria
malaria

Diseases/Diarrhea,
Cholera & Meningitis
The graph shows that meningitis cases increase in dry, hot and dusty seasons

Exacerbated Inequities
• Different gender roles and norms mean that women, men, girls and boys
are likely to be affected in different ways by climate change
• Social limitations prevent the capacity of women and girls to learn useful
skills and expose them to higher risks of disaster-related mortality
• Girls are more exposed to violence and abuse following disasters
• Girls are more likely to be withdrawn from school

Indigenous Children
and Climate Change
Climate change
Climate change 370 million
370 million Indigenous people
Indigenous people Indigenous people
Indigenous people
poses an
poses an existential
existential indigenous adults
indigenous adults represent 15%
represent 15% ofof make up
make up ⅓ of the
⅓ of the
threat due
threat due to
to the
the and children
and children in
in 90
90 the world’s
the world’s poor
poor 900 million
900 million people
people
dependent
dependent countries are
countries are at
at risk
risk and are
and are located
located in
in living in
living in extreme
extreme
relationship with
relationship with of facing
of facing the
the direct
direct areas of
areas of high
high poverty in
poverty in rural
rural
the environment
the environment consequences of
consequences of biological diversity
biological diversity areas
areas
and its
and its resources
resources climate change
climate change

Climate change will increase
the frequency of extreme
weather events. Experiencing
cumulative shocks will be
detrimental for children.

Activity: Crossword Puzzle
1 Nearly 160 million children live in areas 2 4

characterized by this phenomenon.
F D
2 Over half a billion children live in areas L E
extremely prone to this phenomenon. 3 P O L L U TO N N
3 It caused 661,000 deaths of children under O G
5 years of age in 2012. 1 DRAU G HT
4 It is the most rapidly spreading mosquito- S E
borne viral disease in the world.

Further Reading

2 Strengthening Children’s
Resilience to Climate Change
In the face of unavoidable
impacts for the next
generation, child-centred
adaptation is a necessary
element of the global
response to climate change.

A Child-centred Approach to
Climate Change Adaptation Means…
Focusing on the specific risks faced by children in a

changing climate
Ensuring that children’s needs and capacities are

central to adaptation planning and implementation
Increasing the voice and agency* of children in

adaptation decision-making processes
Therefore, protecting children’s rights, such as the rights

to life, safety, participation and development
*the ability of children to reflect, make their own choices and decisions on issues affecting them, and have control of their lives

Disaster Risk Reduction
(DRR) & Children
Climate
change impacts
are projected to
increase the numbers
of children affected
by disasters to 175
million per year in the
coming decade
!
DRR aims to
minimise
vulnerabilities and
disaster risks in order
to avoid or to limit the
adverse impacts of
natural hazards
While also
covering non climate-
related disasters
(e.g. earthquakes),
DRR is recognised as
a key climate change
adaptation
strategy

Mainstreaming Child-
centred Adaptation into
Development
Children are a key part in the
identification of risks and
resilience-building options
for development programmes
Children’s specific needs and

capacities are included in the
vulnerability assessments
and planning processes for
climate-smart development
Children are included in the

processes of monitoring and
evaluation of programmes
and initiatives that affect
them

Children and Climate
Change Planning

Case Study – Developing a
Climate Change Response
in Collaboration with
Children

Benefits of Child-Centred
Climate Change Adaptation
Effective child-centred
Effective child-centred adaptation
adaptation measures
measures exist
exist for
for all
all priority
priority areas
areas for
for children
children
Explore more
Explore more by
by clicking
clicking on
on the
the circles
circles
Health WASH Education Nutrition Protection Inclusion

Focus on Health
Improved access
Improved access to
to
emergency health
emergency health
services decreases
services decreases deaths
deaths
and injuries
and injuries from
from
disasters
disasters
Heatwave early
Heatwave early warning
warning
systems* and
systems* and appropriate
appropriate
advice help
advice help reduce
reduce the
the
incidence of
incidence of heat-related
heat-related
illnesses
illnesses
Improved access
Improved access to
to anti-
anti-
malaria treatment
malaria treatment and
and
mosquito nets
mosquito nets limit
limit the
the
spread of
spread of vector-born
vector-born
diseases
diseases
*Surveillance systems that collect information on epidemic-prone diseases in order to trigger prompt interventions

Focus on WASH
Sanitation and hygiene

Enabling environments
Strengthen community
Integrate climate resilience into understanding of climate risk
WASH policies, strategies
within community approaches
and plans
to sanitation and hygiene
Water quality Water quantity

- Integrate climate resilience into - Increase water storage in
water safety planning drought prone areas
- Strengthen household treatment - Diversify water supply options
in flood prone areas - Use climate smart technologies

Case Study – Improving Water
Access for Conflict Survivors in
the Central African Republic
Strong climate change impacts in the Central African

Republic exacerbate the dangers from protracted armed
conflict for 2.14 million children. Widespread violence
and large scale human rights abuses have led to the
displacement of 850,000 people. In this context,
UNICEF is implementing an innovative climate-
sensitive manual drilling programme to provide access
to clean water for internally displaced people, offering
multiple social, economic and environmental benefits.

Focus on Education
Structural measures
Structural measures for
for
schools to
schools to withstand
withstand
impacts of
impacts of disasters
disasters can
can
protect children
protect children and
and their
their
right to
right to education
education
School-based
School-based
programmes on
programmes on early
early
warning systems
warning systems
enhance disaster
enhance disaster
preparedness
preparedness
Youth-led community
Youth-led community
risk mapping
risk mapping enhance
enhance
their involvement
their involvement and
and
awareness
awareness

Focus on Nutrition
Crop diversification
Crop diversification
increases food
increases food security
security
and livelihoods
and livelihoods
Distribution of
Distribution of
fortified food
fortified food and
and
promotion of
promotion of
breastfeeding are
breastfeeding are key
key
sources of
sources of nutrition
nutrition for
for
children in
children in emergency
emergency
and disaster
and disaster situations
situations
Community gardens
Community gardens
ensure that
ensure that children
children
have nutritious
have nutritious food
food
and aa better
and better
balanced diet
balanced diet

Case Study – Diversifying
Agriculture in Nepal
Children in Julma,
Nepal suffer from acute malnutrition.
Increasingly irregular rainfall,
extended droughts and flooding have
contributed to crop failures. Since
2003, World Vision Nepal has been
working with local communities to
help increase food security and
nutrition outcomes for children.
Interventions are intended to improve
land management, maximise
agricultural diversity, change
consumption patterns and develop
surplus management programmes.

Focus on Child
Protection
Psychological and
Psychological and social
social support
support Safety net
Safety net interventions
interventions help
help Providing water
Providing water closer
closer to
to homes
homes
can help
can help children
children to
to recover
recover from
from to prevent
to prevent dislocation
dislocation and
and keeps girls
keeps girls safe
safe from
from abuse
abuse and
and
disasters and
disasters and cumulative
cumulative shocks
shocks exploitation of
exploitation of children
children boosts their
boosts their school
school attendance
attendance

Focus on Social Inclusion
Child sensitive
Child sensitive
climate budgeting
climate budgeting
and programming
and programming
Cash transfers
Cash transfers after
after
natural disasters
natural disasters
strengthen social
strengthen social
protection systems
protection systems
Education and
Education and health
health
service fee
service fee waivers
waivers
ensure wider
ensure wider access
access
to key
to key services
services for
for
poor girls
poor girls and
and boys
boys

Case Study – Cash
Distribution in Niger

Activity: Map
Adaptation!

3 The Benefits of Climate Change
Mitigation for Children
Ambitious action to cut
greenhouse gases will
benefit the lives of
hundreds of millions of
children.

Climate Change Mitigation
GHG Emissions by Economic Sectors
*
Reminder: Mitigation
Climate change mitigation is
a human intervention to
reduce the sources or
enhance the sinks of
greenhouse gases (GHGs)
** ***
Graph: IPCC Fifth Assessment report, 2014
*Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use

**Direct emissions are defined at the point in the energy chain where they are released.
***Indirect emissions refer to the energy use in end-use sectors

Energy & Climate Change
Energy related CO22 Energy services Sustainable energy

Energy related
Energy related CO
CO22 is
is the
the most
most are essential
are essential for
for human
human is crucial
is crucial for
for our
our future
future and
and
important GHG,
important GHG, responsible
responsible in
in activity as
activity as the
the world’s
world’s energy
energy plays aa key
plays key role
role in
in children’s
children’s
2015 for
2015 for about
about 63%
63% ofof demand is
demand is expected
expected to
to development and
development and well-being
well-being
emissions
emissions increase
increase
CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE Section title

Sustainable Energy for Children
CHILDREN AND
CHILDREN AND CLIMATE
CLIMATE CHANGE
CHANGE
Sustainable Energy for
Cooking: Protecting
Girls
• In many places, gender roles dictate that girls and women are responsible
for collecting cooking fuel, typically firewood
• Firewood collection presents large physical and time burdens
• In emergency contexts, girls are also at great risk of sexual violence
• Sustainable energy solutions can contribute to girls’ well-being and safety
CHILDREN AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
CHANGE
Case study – Improved Cook Stove
Programme in Zimbabwe
Impac
t
Action
Issue
?
CHILDREN AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
CHANGE
Case study – Reducing
Emissions and Improving
Children’s Health in Mongolia
Using more
efficient
heating stoves
Developing
Capacity
policies
building
to tackle GHG
and awareness
emissions
raising
and air pollution
CHILDREN AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
CHANGE
Actions undertaken to
reduce greenhouse gas
emissions can positively
or negatively affect
children.

Reducing Emissions from Forests
– REDD+’s Impact on Children
Safeguards
CHILDREN AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
CHANGE
Including children’s
considerations in climate
mitigation planning can maximise
the benefits and minimise the
negative impacts on children and
other vulnerable populations.

Education as a Key Climate
Change Mitigation Strategy
Educating children about climate

change can be seen as a mitigation
activity as children are the world’s
future decision makers and
consumers

Activity: Rubik's Cube: Sustainable
Energy Benefits for Children
CHILDREN AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
CHANGE
4 Empowering Children to Act
on Climate Change through Education
“Education is the most
powerful weapon which
you can use to change the
world.”
Nelson Mandela

Climate Change Education (CCE)
Promotes learning about the causes and effects of

climate change, as well as possible responses
Enhances resilience, encourages changes in

behaviour and promotes critical-thinking
Advances the realisation of children’s rights
Aims to promote climate-resilient development and

reduce vulnerability of communities

Integrating Climate Change in Education
Formal
Education
Non-Formal
Education
Informal
Education
Education

Climate Change in Formal Education
Climate change integrated in:
 Education legislation and policies, sector plans and

budgets
 School curricula and examinations
 Training and teaching materials for teachers
 Learning environments
 School governance and infrastructure

Climate Change in Non-Formal Education

Climate Change in Informal Education

Leaving No One Behind in
Climate Change Education
Promoting girls’ access to education

of opportunity
Incorporating indigenous
Equality
knowledge and learning systems
Providing young refugees with

livelihood skills in a changing
climate
Taking into account the learning

needs of people with disabilities

Putting Climate Change
Education into Practice

As children better
understand the causes
and impacts of climate
change, they will be better
able to plan for, and
respond to, climate
change.

Children & Youth Act on
Climate Change/Adaptation
Young people
build barriers
to limit soil
erosion in Xai-
Xai City,
Mozambique

Climate Change/Mitigation
High school students

promote biodiesel
produced from used
vegetable oil in
Barbados

Climate Change/Sharing the
Message
Amerindian
children in
Guyana sensitize
children abroad
to rainforest
protection

Children & Youth Act on Climate
Change/Taking the Lead
Young climate
ambassadors in Zambia
reach out to
1 million children,
young people and
community members

To Learn More…
United Nations
Joint
Framework
Initiative on
Children,
Youth and
Climate
Change

Activity: Blue Fact Hunt!
1. The importance of
Climate Change
Education has
been included in
international climate
UNFCCC agreements such as…
(Multiple choice)
Rotterdam Convention
Paris Agreement
Basel Treaty
5 A Climate Agenda for Children
The Convention on the
Rights of the Child (CRC)
The Convention sets out the rights that must be realized for children to develop
their full potential, free from hunger and want, neglect and abuse.

Children & Climate Change
in Post-2015 Agreements
Paris Agreement
Sendai Framework for

Disaster Risk Reduction
Addis Ababa Action

Agenda
2030 Agenda for

Sustainable Development

Young People’s Voices in
Climate Change Negotiations
YOUNG
AND FUTURE
GENERATION
DAY
COY
YOUNGO

Governments & Children’s Protection
Governments have the

responsibility to protect
children from the impacts of
a changing climate
Governments need to
mobilise long-term
climate finance and
distribute it to benefit
the most vulnerable,
including women
and children

There are concrete steps
that the world can take
now to safeguard our
children’s future and
their rights.

A Climate Change
Agenda for Children
1. Cut greenhouse gas emissions so that global

temperature increases are limited to a
maximum of 2℃, and ideally to 1.5℃.
2. Make the needs of the most vulnerable, including

children, central to climate change adaptation.
3. Reduce inequality among children now to promote

their future resilience to climate change.
4. Listen to and act on children’s

perspectives on climate change.
5. Provide children and young people with

climate change education, awareness raising
and training.

A Climate Change
Agenda for Children
6. Scale-up proven approaches to address

the changing needs of children.
7. Align and coordinate work on climate change

adaptation, preparedness and disaster
risk reduction.
8. Put in place measures to protect children who

have been displaced, migrate or are refugees
as a result of climate change or
climate-related impacts.
9. Invest in children when implementing

national climate plans on mitigation
and adaptation.
10. Everyone should get involved.

Protecting the planet
and protecting our
children go
hand-in-hand and both
can be achieved if we all
act now.

Module Summary
 Children represent the largest group of people affected by climate change and one of the
most vulnerable.
 Climate change affects children both directly and indirectly, exacerbating existing
inequities.
 Child-centred adaptation as well as mitigation policies and measures can greatly benefit
children.
 Education is key to empowering children. It provides them with knowledge, skills and
tools for addressing climate change.
 While being victims of climate change, children are at the same time powerful actors of
change. They can promote transformation at the local, national and international level.
 It is important to involve children in the decision-making processes affecting them.
 International instruments exist for governments to ensure the protection of children and
their rights in a changing climate.
 Taking action now is crucial to ensure a better future for our children and our planet.

Credits
• Photos: UN Photo
• Resting icon, by Freepic from flaticon.com
• Brain Genius Icon by freepik.com
• Navigation icons (chat, hand click, picture,
book, information, gear) by flaticon.com
and thenounproject.com
• Pollution photo by unsplash.com
• Climate change impact illustration icons by
flaticon.com and thenounproject.com
• Heart icon, by Freepik from flaticon.com
• Shower icon, by Freepic from flaticon.com
• Graduation cap icon, by Freepik from flaticon.com
• Cereal box and bawl icon, by Freepik from flaticon.com
• Resting icon, by Freepic from flaticon.com
• Man with umbrella icon, by Freepik from flaticon.com
• Hands and people icon, by Freepik from flaticon.com
• Map by mapmaker.nationalgeographic.org
• Political map by freepik.com
• Flag icon by Freepik from flaticon.com
• Balance icon by freepik.com
• Rubik’s cube icon by freepik.com
• Tree icon by freepik.com
• Infographic by freepik.com
• World map by freepik.com
• Infographic circles by freepik.com

Disclaimer
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this module do not imply the expression of any opinion
whatsoever on the part of UN CC:Learn, nor its partner organizations, concerning the legal status of any country, territory,
city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted and dashed lines on
maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.
The resources presented in this module are drawn primarily from within the UN and partners to UN CC:Learn. This
module includes limited selected information from recognized Non-UN organizations. UN CC:Learn is not responsible
for the content of third-party resources and their mention does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended
by UN CC:Learn.

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INTRODUCTORY LEARNING MODULE

Children and Climate Change

Click to read Click to access

Click to enlarge pictures or Click for

Click on the photo to access Click to access an

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

After completing the module participants will be able to:

Explain how climate change can affect children

Describe how measures to build climate resilience

Illustrate key instruments and good practices for

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Examples of flood occurrence areas with high concentrations of

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Temperature suitability for the transmission of

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

1 Nearly 160 million children live in areas 2 4

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Focusing on the specific risks faced by children in a

Ensuring that children’s needs and capacities are

Increasing the voice and agency* of children in

Therefore, protecting children’s rights, such as the rights

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Children’s specific needs and

Children are included in the

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Health WASH Education Nutrition Protection Inclusion

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Sanitation and hygiene

Water quality Water quantity

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Strong climate change impacts in the Central African

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

CHILDREN AND CLIMATE CHANGE