While government officials, researchers, international agencies and members of the public join us at the African Initiative Congress on Climate Change , Save the Children released their latest report “Feeling the Heat”, in which they warned that 250,000 children could die next year due to the effects of climate change. The charity said the figure could rise to more than 400,000 per year by 2030.The leading factors and risk levels, as indicated by the report, include
- Natural disasters, such as cyclones, droughts and floods
175 million children will suffer the consequences of natural disasters like cyclones, droughts and floods by 2030 - Mounting clean water shortages
900 children in the next generation will be affected by water shortages - Increased spread of malaria
160 million more children will be at risk of catching malaria – one of the biggest killers of children under five – as it spreads to new parts of the world
David Mepham, Save the Children’s Director of Policy, called on world leaders to agree a tough deal on tacking climate change at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December.
"This is not just Africa’s problem, it affects everyone," he said. "Climate change is a ticking time bomb. Global leaders need to act now to stop the needless deaths of millions of children."