{"id":7593,"date":"2025-11-10T07:02:39","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T07:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=7593"},"modified":"2025-11-10T07:02:39","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T07:02:39","slug":"unicef-chief-catherine-russell-at-cop30-the-climate-crisis-is-a-child-rights-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=7593","title":{"rendered":"UNICEF Chief Catherine Russell at COP30: The Climate Crisis Is a Child Rights Crisis.\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

UNICEF Chief Catherine Russell at COP30: The Climate Crisis Is a Child Rights Crisis.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Bel\u00e9m, Brazil;<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the COP30 Leaders Summit<\/strong> in Bel\u00e9m, Brazil, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell<\/strong> delivered a powerful address urging world leaders to recognize the climate crisis as a direct threat to children\u2019s rights, survival, and future<\/strong>. Speaking during the General Plenary of Leaders, Russell called for urgent, child-centered climate action, warning that millions of young lives are already at risk from rising temperatures, pollution, and extreme weather.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cChildren Live in a Hotter, More Polluted World\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cChildren today live in a world that is hotter and more polluted than the one we grew up in,\u201d Russell told heads of state and delegates, thanking President Luiz In\u00e1cio Lula da Silva and the COP30 Presidency for hosting the historic summit in the heart of the Amazon.<\/p>\n

She emphasized that children are disproportionately affected by climate change<\/strong>, both physiologically and socioeconomically.<\/p>\n

\u201cChildren make up one-third of the world\u2019s population and half of all people living in extreme poverty,\u201d she said. \u201cHalf the world\u2019s children live in countries at extreme risk of climate chaos. And because children are smaller and their systems less developed, they are far more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than adults.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

The First Breath at Risk<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Russell highlighted alarming evidence that the risks of climate change begin even before birth<\/strong>. For every one-degree Celsius increase in temperature<\/strong>, the likelihood of preterm or stillbirth<\/strong> rises by 5 percent<\/strong>, she said \u2014 linking global warming directly to maternal and infant health.<\/p>\n

After birth, the dangers multiply.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring heatwaves, children\u2019s bodies heat up faster and sweat less efficiently, putting them at greater risk,\u201d she explained. \u201cThey also breathe twice as fast as adults, which means they inhale more polluted air.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to UNICEF data, by the 2050s<\/strong>, children\u2019s exposure to heatwaves will increase eightfold<\/strong>. Already, one in five children<\/strong> experiences at least double the number of extremely hot days<\/strong> each year compared to their grandparents\u2019 generation.<\/p>\n

\n

A Clear Science, An Unclear Will<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Russell underscored that while the science behind the crisis is clear<\/strong>, political and financial will remain uncertain.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe science is clear about what needs to be done,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat is less clear is \u2014 will we meet the challenge? Will the world act to protect children?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

She called for rapid emissions reductions<\/strong>, stressing that a just energy transition<\/strong> would not only curb global warming but also save children\u2019s lives<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cReducing air pollution, which accounts for 15 percent of all under-five deaths, and investing in clean energy will create new opportunities for young people in the green economy,\u201d she added.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Investing in Adaptation and Child Survival<\/strong><\/h3>\n

UNICEF\u2019s Executive Director urged countries to scale up funding for climate adaptation, loss and damage<\/strong>, and resilience \u2014 particularly in basic services<\/strong> that determine children\u2019s survival:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Health<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Education<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Water and sanitation<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Nutrition<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Social protection<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \u201cThese are the systems that keep children alive, learning, and hopeful,\u201d she said. \u201cThey must be protected and strengthened against the impacts of climate change.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    Progress and Hope Amid the Crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Russell acknowledged that progress is being made<\/strong>. Today, 70 percent of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)<\/strong> \u2014 countries\u2019 official climate action plans under the Paris Agreement \u2014 include child-sensitive commitments<\/strong>. Additionally, 70 governments have signed the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action<\/strong>, signaling growing recognition of children\u2019s unique needs within the global climate framework.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe commend your leadership,\u201d Russell told the assembly. \u201cUNICEF stands ready to support your efforts to build a cleaner, safer, and fairer planet for every child.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    A Challenge to the World<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    In closing, Russell issued a challenge to world leaders to match commitments with action:<\/p>\n

    \u201cChildren need and deserve a cleaner, safer planet. The question for all of us is \u2014 will we meet the challenge?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Her remarks were met with strong applause in the plenary hall, reflecting the growing consensus that the climate emergency is not just an environmental or economic issue, but a generational one<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Background<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    The 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30)<\/strong> is being hosted in Bel\u00e9m, Brazil<\/strong>, marking the first COP to be held in the Amazon region \u2014 a global climate hotspot. The summit has brought together leaders from over 190 nations to accelerate efforts toward the Paris Agreement goals<\/strong> and strengthen commitments to protect vulnerable populations from the worsening impacts of climate change.<\/p>\n

    UNICEF has been a leading advocate for child-centered climate action<\/strong>, calling for policies that address both the environmental and social dimensions of the crisis \u2014 from reducing emissions to investing in health, education, and social safety nets.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    UNICEF Chief Catherine Russell at COP30: The Climate Crisis Is a Child Rights Crisis.\u00a0 Bel\u00e9m, Brazil;   At the COP30 Leaders Summit in Bel\u00e9m, Brazil, […]<\/p>\n

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