India ranks 26th in climate risk to children: UNICEF report highlights urgent need for action | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India has been ranked 26th out of 163 countries in the UNICEF report ‘The State of the World’s Children 2024’, which highlights the serious climate risks faced by its children. The report examines the interplay between demographic shifts, climate crises and technological advances, identifying these as crucial forces that will shape the lives of 2.3 billion children worldwide by 2050.
Nearly a billion children worldwide face extreme vulnerability to climate and environmental hazards, with Indian children disproportionately affected. The report shows that up to 34 million people in India could be affected by extreme river flooding by 2040, while coastal flooding could affect 18 million people by 2070. Rising temperatures and air pollution are already disrupting education and healthcare systems, increasing risks for children in rural and low-income areas.
On disrupting India’s position in the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India representative, said: “But it’s not all India’s fault. Some of the changes that are happening globally are affecting India, and that is where India needs to implement its policies, but it also needs the world to implement its changes because we are all connected. We saw that with Covid. Diseases know no borders. They don’t wait for their visa to cross another border. It is comparable to polluted air or global warming. They are not looking for a visa to enter Bangladesh, India or Sri Lanka.”
According to the report, India is expected to be home to the world’s largest child population, approximately 350 million, by 2050, providing a unique opportunity for economic growth. However, realizing this demographic dividend requires robust investments in education, healthcare and climate adaptation measures.
“With a third of the world’s children concentrated in India, China, Nigeria and Pakistan, targeted interventions are critical to reduce climate risks and harness demographic potential,” the report said.
While advances in AI and renewable energy promise transformative change, the lack of equitable digital access poses challenges. For underserved Indian regions, the digital divide threatens to widen socio-economic inequality unless policies ensure universal and affordable internet access.
McCaffrey is optimistic about India. She supported her optimism about Indian policies.
She said: “India has very comprehensive and thoughtful policies that provide a framework at both national and state levels, and you have a very dynamic young population concerned with how they can be part of the solution and be part of the decisions that are necessary. made. I am optimistic,” as she cited Indian policies such as the National Climate Change Action Plan (NAPCC) and Mission LiFE to promote sustainability and reduce emissions by 45% by 2030.
Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, commented: “The lives of children in India depend on the decisions made today. By embedding equality and resilience in its policies, India can ensure a sustainable and inclusive future for its youngest citizens.”
The report emphasizes that actions taken today will shape the reality of 2050. By joining the Convention on the Rights of the Child, stakeholders can ensure that every child not only survives but thrives, regardless of geographic or socio-economic barriers.
According to the report, UNICEF’s call to action urges India to scale up climate resilience by investing in sustainable infrastructure, including child-friendly urban designs and resilient education facilities, bridging the digital divide, investing in education and healthcare, and leveraging technology by integrating AI and green technologies to address climate and development challenges.