In a report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF regarding climate change, it is estimated that millions of children around the world are suffering due to the increase in temperature.
Monsignor Joji Vadakara, Vatican City
In a new report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, it has been stated that approximately fifty-six million children in the world are currently suffering due to severe heat waves. About 62 crore children are facing discomfort due to extreme heat.
According to current estimates, one-third of the world’s children live in extreme heat-prone areas, and one-fourth of these children are exposed to extreme heat waves, the report said.
Currently, children in 23 countries around the world are suffering from extreme heat. But due to high carbon pollution, the number of these countries will increase to 33 by 2050, according to UNICEF. It is estimated that by 2050, there may be approximately two hundred billion children worldwide who will experience the effects of higher temperatures.
According to the UNICEF report, “The Coldest Years in a Child’s Life: Protecting Children from Heatwaves,” even if current levels of pollution are kept to a minimum, the world is projected to experience more heatwaves than today in the next 30 years.
A report prepared by the Data for Children Collaborative, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Vanessa Nakathe and the African movement Rise Up highlights the dire effects of global warming. These figures also point to the need to reduce global pollution. Speaking further on the report, UNICEF Director-General Catherine Russell reminded that as the temperature of mercury rises, so do the effects of mercury on children. 23 percent of the world’s children are facing severe hardships due to the current heat waves.