Pakistan’s Children at Climate Crisis Risk: UNICEF 

News Desk

Islamabad: Torrential and unseasonal rains are currently sweeping through Pakistan, once again placing children’s lives in peril.

This situation echoes the devastating tragedy of 2022, where 500 children lost their lives due to the deluge that inundated villages in southern Sindh, representing a decade’s worth of rainfall in a single catastrophic event.

“I witnessed firsthand how children suffered from malnutrition, and everything they possessed, including their schools, aspirations, and futures, was washed away.”

“Despite significant aid efforts, as of December 2023, 9.6 million children still required humanitarian assistance in flood-affected regions,” as highlighted in a press release issued by UNICEF on Monday.

“These calamitous floods serve as a stark illustration of how climate change and pollution are adversely affecting children’s health in Pakistan. Record-breaking temperatures expose all children in Pakistan to the risk of heat stress, as their bodies struggle to regulate excessive heat,” it adds.

Similarly, children are disproportionately affected by air pollution compared to adults, putting them at risk of life-threatening respiratory diseases. Shockingly, approximately 12 percent of deaths among Pakistani children under five years old can be attributed to air pollution.

Year after year, children in Pakistan find themselves trapped in a relentless cycle of droughts and floods.

From the very beginning of their lives until adulthood, the health and development of children’s brains, lungs, and immune systems are profoundly influenced by their surroundings.

Regrettably, children in Pakistan face an ‘extremely high risk’ from the consequences of the climate crisis. Yet, Pakistan faces the daunting challenge of both adapting to climate change and curbing global emissions.

Despite the immense stakes, our efforts to safeguard the environment are falling short. The mighty Indus River, a lifeline for Pakistan’s people and children, is now under threat due to climate change, neglect, misuse, pollution, over-exploitation, and the dumping of toxic waste.

This Earth Day, we must intensify our endeavors to ensure that no child in Pakistan bears the brunt of climate change, pollution, or related disasters ever again.

“We must slash greenhouse gas emissions from coal and fossil fuels to safeguard the planet.”

“I am a polluter – every meal, every journey adds to global emissions. But culpability isn’t evenly distributed.”

According to Oxfam, the wealthiest 10 percent are accountable for half of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. This, among other factors, is driving global warming.

Governments must shoulder collective responsibility commensurate with their pollution output. We can also ramp up efforts to conserve energy and transition to alternative sources like solar power.

“We must enact policies and laws to tackle climate change and its disproportionate impact on children and women. Shielding children from the health hazards of toxic metals, chemicals, hazardous waste, and air pollution is paramount.

“We must invest in our children. This entails allocating more funds to combat stunting and malnutrition, construct resilient schools, health facilities, sanitation infrastructure, and water pumps capable of withstanding floods and cyclones,” stats the press release.

A mere 2.4 percent of climate funds currently support projects benefiting children. We implore world leaders to strive towards making COP30 a ‘children’s COP’ dedicated to securing the 1.5-degree temperature threshold.

“If we falter, more children will be exposed to illness, hunger, and mortality. To ensure every child in Pakistan thrives in a safe and clean environment, decisive action is imperative today. We owe it to the next generation, who are the custodians of our future.”