In a stark revelation, the Global Chief of Migration and Displacement at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Verina Knaus, has highlighted that weather-related disasters have forced the displacement of a staggering 43.1 million children over the course of six years.
She further noted that an increasing number of children are being compelled to leave their homes due to extreme weather events, often finding themselves marginalized and unprotected.
UNICEF released a report today, on Friday, presenting its first analysis of child displacement caused by weather-related events. According to the organization, an average of 20,000 children have been displaced daily due to weather-related events over the past six years.
It cautioned that weather-related disasters such as tropical storms, hurricanes, floods, and forest fires have resulted in the displacement of more than 43 million children across 44 countries within just six years, with some experiencing multiple displacements, while others may never return to their homes.
The report emphasized that floods and storms accounted for 95% of child displacements.
China and the Philippines were among the countries with the highest numbers of child displacement due to extreme weather. The report also pointed out that children in small island nations like Dominica and Vanuatu were the most affected by storms, while children in Somalia and South Sudan were the hardest hit by floods.
On another note, the international organization’s report highlighted that forest fires displaced 810,000 children, with Canada and the United States recording the highest numbers. It warned that the climate crisis is bringing chaos into the lives of millions of children and that the situation is worsening day by day with ongoing emissions.
UNICEF anticipates a potentially terrifying future, with child displacements due to climate change likely to become more frequent. With each additional degree of warming, the international climate change body believes the global risk of displacement due to floods may increase by 50%.
Despite significant strides taken by some countries, such as the Philippines, India, and Mozambique, to enhance early warning, evacuation, and recovery capabilities, the report underscores that the majority of nations are still unprepared for this changing climate future.
It also noted that child displacement is not on the radar of world leaders expected to convene at the upcoming climate summit hosted by Dubai in the coming weeks.
