UNICEF Urges Greater Focus on Children in Climate Policies

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on world leaders to take urgent action to protect children from the impacts of the climate crisis, emphasizing the critical role of children in climate change efforts.

UNICEF warned that children are the most vulnerable group affected by climate change, including those like seven-year-old Ian in Guatemala, who have the right to grow up in a safe and healthy environment. The agency called for the essential services that children depend on—including water, healthcare, and education—to be made resilient against climate-related risks.

In its statement, UNICEF stressed that governments must place children at the center of their national climate strategies, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen public services that are vital to children’s well-being.

In Afghanistan, which is currently governed by the Taliban, the climate crisis—marked by increasing droughts, floods, and resource shortages—has put the lives of millions of children at risk. So far, the Taliban administration has not presented a clear and specific plan to address the climate challenges that are making children especially vulnerable.