The Hill says our children are the most neglected and vulnerable stakeholders in climate change. It cites the World Health Organization as witness. The WHO in turn says “only 10 percent of the world’s population is less than five-years-old. However, those vulnerable children will bear 90% of the economic and health burden of climate change.”
Those Vulnerable Children Could Suffer More Than We Imagine
We don’t have much time left to avoid those devastating effects by changing our consumption patterns. Even if we believe a natural recurring weather fluctuation is behind the phenomenon, we can still help counter it by changing our behaviour.
However, if the real cause turns out to be environment abuse then those vulnerable children could suffer greatly. Some say we may even regret having families if Earth’s systems flip. There are already signs of global warming causing impaired childhood development. The Hill mentions negative trends across cognitive and behavioural dimensions. They also mention an increasing likelihood of childhood cancers. Could this happen in North America?
Drought and the Well-being and Futures of Children
Isn’t it Time to Talk Seriously About the Sustainability of Our Species?
The worst could happen if world leaders can’t agree among themselves on what we ought to do. The Hill reports a “one degree celsius increase in the mean temperature during the week before delivery is associated with a 6% increase in the risk of stillbirth”. Read the National Institutes of Health report here.
Those vulnerable children that survive beyond birth will bear the brunt of climate change disproportionately throughout their childhood, according to The Hill. Perhaps it is time the opposing climate lobbies got together and admitted we have a problem, no matter what is causing it. After all, they will suffer too unless age is on their side, but that’s a another matter for another post.
We may be reaching the end of the ‘may be’ phase when we could do something about global warming. Beyond that tipping point, who knows what will happen to our children next.
Related
Build Strong Children to Fight Climate Change
Rising Sea Levels Whose Problem Is That?
Preview Image: Colorado Dust Bowl 1935 / 1936
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