Children are most vulnerable to the changing climate
Climate change is the greatest threat facing the world’s children and young people. One billion children are at ‘extremely high risk’ of the impacts of climate change. That is nearly half of all children.
The climate crisis is increasing the intensity and frequency of natural disasters like droughts and floods, and people and communities who are poorer are less likely to be able to prepare for such events. This means people are affected more severely, poverty deepens, and the cycle continues.
Increasingly frequent climate shocks impact crop production, destroying families’ livelihoods and reducing the availability of food and causing food insecurity. Children are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Instead of accessing a good education or living in a safe home, children are facing the global hunger crisis.
Climate change wreaks havoc, increasing people’s vulnerability to humanitarian crises. Sea levels are rising, glaciers are shrinking and agricultural land is degrading due to expanding deserts. Climate change must be addressed or the consequences will be dire. Droughts will become more intense, land degradation and desertification will increase, and the hunger crisis will worsen.
We’re protecting children facing climate change
World Vision is supporting the most vulnerable families and communities to become more resilient to the effects of climate change.
Last year, our emergency responses helped over 1.7 million people in 18 countries – over 900,000 of them were children. Our response to climate-related emergencies includes the provision of clean water, nutritious food, shelter, and medical care. We address the long-term impacts of climate change by introducing climate-smart farming techniques and working with communities on their plans to reduce the risk of disaster.
Why it is important to us
World Vision believes every child deserves a healthy and safe environment now and a sustainable future.
We want to ensure that all children can enjoy these rights.
We are an organisation working in countries and communities that have been severely impacted by environmental degradation and climate change. We are greatly worried about what we observe and hear. As a global organisation present in 100 countries, we have unique access to grassroots communities the world over. They have been telling us for years that things are worsening, that the seasons are unreliable. We are working hard to respond to climate change and disasters. We are partnering with others to build their resilience and prepare them for crises. When such events occur, we are ready to help.
To demonstrate our commitment to addressing climate change, World Vision is a member of the following climate change coalitions:
- The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) coordinated UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration
- The Humanitarian Charter on Climate Change
- The International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PARD) together with the UNEP Faith for Earth Coalition
Learn about our programmes and approaches
New challenges, tensions, conflicts, and disasters, are all fuelled by climate change. So new thinking, new programmatic responses and greater agility are needed to respond to our fast-changing world. We are partnering with children to act now. Our programmes focus on environmental stewardship and climate action. This will lead to positive outcomes for the wellbeing of children.
Economic development and livelihoods approaches
Empowering communities to provide for themselves and prosper is central to the agricultural development work World Vison does.
Family and community centered approaches
Through family and community-centered approaches, we focus on behaviour change, systems strengthening, and advocacy at various levels to break the cycle of vulnerability.
Food security and resilient agriculture approaches
To reduce hunger, improving agriculture on small farms is critical. We support farmers with drought resistant seeds, and promote the adoption of farming methods appropriate to the climate in order to help communities increase crop production.
Promoting social accountability approaches
The Citizen Voice and Action (CVA) project model has been used across over 50 countries since 2005 to help communities hold their local and national governments accountable, and work with them to improve services. It aims to encourage children and youth participation in community decision-making processes, as World Vision believes that creating spaces for children's activism has a transformative impact on their lives and has the power to change society for the better.
Sustainable management of natural resources
It is critical that the natural resource base on which small farming depends is protected and developed. We support communities to farm and manage natural resources in a sustainable way, to prevent soil erosion, maintain soil fertility, and use water more efficiently.
Find out more about our positions
The Impact of Climate Change on Nutrition
How does climate change cause food insecurity and malnutrition in children?
A World Vision Ireland policy brief.
Rising Storms
Climate impacts on conflict, community tensions, and hunger.
A World Vision International report.
Children and young people’s participation in climate action
How to enable their right to participate?
A World Vision Ireland policy brief.
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Climate Risk and Vulnerability in the Solomon Islands
Climate Folklore
The Impact of Climate Change on Mother Earth
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