Futures at Risk

The climate crisis is a child rights crisis.

Climate change is having, and will continue to have, an impact on children and their rights. In the most severe cases – children will be forced to leave their homes. In 2020 alone, 9.8 million of the 30.1 million new weather-related internal displacements affected children. This equates to over 26,000 new weather-related child displacements every day.

Our new report, Futures at Risk: Protecting the rights of children on the move in a changing climate, sets out how climate change-related displacement and migration can disrupt children’s access to education and health services. But by preparing for the shocks we know are coming, the UK Government can help protect every child’s right to education and health.

THE UK GOVERNMENT MUST ACT NOW

In 2021, the UK Government has the opportunity to lead the way and deliver resilient education and health systems that can meet children’s needs, now and in the future. As the host of COP26, the UK can put the rights of children affected by climate change-related displacement and migration at the heart of global action. The opportunity is clear and the need urgent. The UK Government must act now to support the right to education and health, for every child.

To do so, the UK Government should launch a technical facility at COP26, bringing together cross-sector experts on climate change-related displacement and migration and child rights.

In addition, the UK Government should:

1. Meet its commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and encourage other high-income countries to make a similar pledge at COP26;
2. Join the International Data Alliance for Children on the Move and invest in the collection of climate change-related data through this platform by COP26;
3. Use the UK’s role as a leading international donor to champion the rights of children affected by climate change-related displacement and migration, ensuring they are highlighted in key COP26 outputs and discussions.