By. UNICEF –GENEVA ,
Uganda ranked 152 out of 180 under the child flourishing index that considered child survival, health, education and nutrition indicators and 12 out of 180 for per capita carbon emissions from lifelong environmental impacts from climate change. Children are adversely affected by climate-change impacts: floods; extreme weather; hazardous locations close to water bodies and sea level rise; heat stress; emerging infections; large-scale population migration; water and food insecurity; fires. In addition, the heat experienced in several countries, most recently and dramatically have added to baseline air pollution which affects intrauterine growth restriction and childhood respiratory health.
No single country is adequately protecting
children’s health, their environment and their futures, finds a landmark report
released today by a Commission of over 40 child and adolescent health experts
from around the world. The Commission was convened by the World Health
Organization (WHO), UNICEF and The Lancet.
The report, A Future
for the World’s Children?, finds that the health and future of every child
and adolescent worldwide is under immediate threat from ecological degradation,
climate change and exploitative marketing practices that push heavily processed
fast food, sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco at children.
“Despite improvements in child and
adolescent health over the past 20 years, progress has stalled, and is set to
reverse,” said former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Co-Chair of the
Commission, Helen Clark. “It has been estimated that around 250 million
children under five years old in low- and middle-income countries are at risk
of not reaching their developmental potential, based on proxy measures of
stunting and poverty. But of even greater concern, every child worldwide now
faces existential threats from climate change and commercial pressures.
“Countries need to
overhaul their approach to child and adolescent health, to ensure that we not
only look after our children today but protect the world they will inherit in
the future,” she added.
Intensifying climate change threatens
every child’s future
The report includes a new global index of
180 countries, comparing performance on child flourishing, including measures
of child survival and well-being, such as health, education, and nutrition;
sustainability, with a proxy for greenhouse gas emissions, and equity, or income
gaps. [Top
& Bottom 10 countries; Interactive Index]
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According to the report,
while the poorest countries need to do more to support their children’s ability
to live healthy lives, excessive carbon emissions – disproportionately from wealthier
countries – threaten the future of all children. If global warming exceeds 4°C by the year 2100
in line with current projections, this would lead to devastating health
consequences for children, due to rising ocean levels, heatwaves, proliferation
of diseases like malaria and dengue, and malnutrition.
The index shows that children in Norway,
the Republic of Korea, and the Netherlands have the best chance at survival and well-being, while children
in Central African Republic, Chad,
Somalia, Niger and Mali face the worst odds. However, when authors took per
capita CO2 emissions into account, the top countries trail behind:
Norway ranked 156, the Republic of Korea 166, and the Netherlands 160. Each of
the three emits 210% more CO2 per capita than their 2030 target. The
United States of America (USA), Australia, and Saudi Arabia are among the ten worst
emitters.
“This
report shows that the world’s decision makers are failing today’s children and
youth: failing to protect their health, failing to protect their rights, and
failing to protect their planet,” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
Director-General of the World Health Organization said. “This must be a wakeup
call for countries to invest in child health and development, ensure their
voices are heard, protect their rights, and build a future that is fit for
children.”
END