© UNICEF/HQ06-2278/Bannon

Climate change, food systems and children:

a case for greater action
“In the few years that I’ve been here, the climate has really changed. Temperatures
have gone up. The rainfall has dropped. As time goes by, things are getting worse
and worse ... It rains once in three months, that’s not normal. This has led to
shortage of food and water, which has led to the death of animals. People lose their
livestock and other people die due to starvation and hunger.” Lourine, age 15, Lodwar, Kenya
Children are the least responsible for climate change climate change, the impact is projected to get worse.
and yet are the most vulnerable to its impact. Climate The effects of climate-related shocks can be passed
change is already having a devastating impact on the from generation to generation, leaving a lasting impact
world’s children. And, due to the cumulative effect of on children’s ability to survive, grow and flourish.

Recommendations for action by the UK Government

1 To ensure that climate change will not further • Recognise the risks faced by children in the
undermine the food system and jeopardise context of food and nutrition and seek to
the life chances of children, carbon adequately address these through adaptation.
emissions must be reduced urgently.
Therefore, the UK Government should 3 New and additional financial resources are
• Continue to push the EU to move to a target of essential to ensure that effective adaptation
30 per cent reduction in emissions by 2020. and low carbon development programmes
• Continue to give support to emerging are in place to help children cope with the
economies and developing countries to pursue impact of climate change on food systems.
long term low-carbon development paths The UK Government should therefore:
• Mobilise its fair share of the global
2 To ensure that children in areas vulnerable to commitment of US$100 billion of new and
climate triggered food crises can cope with additional climate finance a year, and
the impacts, the UK Government should encourage others to do the same, helping put
• Pursue adaptation policies in vulnerable in place timelines and milestones for the
countries to help communities affected by Green Climate Fund.
climate change’s effect on food

UNICEF UK
unicef.org.uk/climatechange Climate change, food systems and children:
a case for greater action 1
1. The impact of climate change on the food system

One of the most significant effects of climate change The effects of climate change on livelihoods can
is the impact on the global food system as it changes be sudden, such as droughts and floods, or slower
rainfall patterns, reduces agricultural yields and but cumulative, such as changing long-term rainfall
affects food security. Developing countries across patterns. This cumulative effect is particularly
Asia, Africa and Latin America are forecast to see notable in the case of food security and nutrition.
reductions in agricultural productivity of between 9 Figures quoted by the Stern Review suggest that,
and 21 per cent by the 2080s due to climate change.1 with temperature increases of 2°C, up to 200
In some places, the effects will be felt much sooner million people will be placed at risk of hunger across
than that. By 2020, rising temperatures and variable the world, rising to as many as 550 million with
precipitation are likely to reduce the production of warming of 3°C in the next 50 years. By the end of
staple foods by up to 50 per cent in some African this century, climate change is likely to double the
countries, leading to declining yields and the abilities frequency of extreme droughts and increase their
of families to feed themselves. average duration six-fold.4

Furthermore, the Intergovernmental Panel on The projected levels of greenhouse gas emissions
Climate Change’s (IPCC) Assessment Report (2007) and lack of action to reduce emissions through
highlighted that agricultural production and access international action, indicates that these impacts will
to food in many African countries is projected to be intensify to have a more profound and severe impact
severely compromised by 2020.2 This would further on the world’s food system than the scenarios
adversely affect food systems and exacerbate currently predicted.
malnutrition. The IPCC went as far to state that
“malnutrition linked to extreme-climatic events may Urgent action is therefore needed by governments to
be one of the most important consequences of ensure that children are able to withstand the impact
climate change.”3 that climate change is having on the food system so
that it does not negatively impact on their chance
Climate change is also increasing the frequency and at a future.
severity of natural disasters. We know that children
are hit hardest during natural disasters such as floods
and droughts. These disasters also damage food
1 Global Warming and Agriculture, IMF, 2008
production, killing livestock, destroying crops and
2 IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, IPCC, 2007
forcing people to abandon their land. Less food and 3 Ibid
higher food prices increase the risk of children going 4 The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review,
hungry and becoming malnourished. HM Government, 2006

© UNICEF/HQ97-0735/Chalasani

UNICEF UK
unicef.org.uk/climatechange Climate change, food systems and children:
a case for greater action 2
2. Climate change and food: the impact on children

Challenges to the food system always hit children Declining agricultural yields and increased rural
the hardest, and climate change is expected to have poverty in developing countries is already making
further economic, social and health impacts on the it harder for parents to feed their children, and the
food system that will intensify this. For example, impacts of climate change will intensify this trend.
due to their developing physiology, children are more Changing rainfall patterns due to climate change can
susceptible to malnutrition and are in turn more have a profound effect on child nutrition. Malnutrition
susceptible to illness and diseases associated with in children is increasing in countries where large
food scarcity and malnutrition. The 2012 Climate populations are dependent on rain-fed subsistence
Vulnerability Monitor estimates that 200,000 people farming, such as in semi-arid areas like the Sahel.
will die and 200 million people will suffer from food Climate change can be seen as a significant driver of
insecurity as a result of climate change in lower this trend. For example, as a result of climate change
income countries – half of these deaths are projected related excessive drought in Chad, the prevalence of
to be children from lower income countries.5 global acute malnutrition (GAM) within these drought
affected regions increased from 14.5 per cent in
2011 to 18 per cent in 2012.6
i. Economic and environmental impacts
As well as affecting subsistence farming, climate
“Because of the high rainfall, the change can also affect larger scale agriculture. Crop
volumes, crop diversity and long term growing
fertility for the corn is not good, and it
potential may be reduced by drought, floods and
means that the plants get unhealthy other climate-related stresses. This diminishes what
to the point where they die. If the corn is immediately available to the farming household and
dies, it also means that the people will what can be bought at market. Research by UNICEF
have a difficult economic situation.” Indonesia in 2011 found that six in ten children noted
that food became more expensive after too much or
Jeri, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia too little rain.

The impact of climate change on the natural Livestock are also affected by the changing climate
environment that is essential for growing food, (both by gradual change and by the sudden impact
particularly in vulnerable developing countries can of natural disasters). This may have consequences
have considerable economic effects, especially for the availability of meat and dairy products, and
for children whose families are dependent on for the use of animals in small-scale agriculture. All
subsistence farming. Climate change can reduce of these factors affect the ability of parents to feed
income from agriculture and livestock, and increase themselves and their children with healthy and
food prices and availability, causing malnutrition nutritious food. This will further intensify as climate
amongst children. change continues to go unchecked. The case study
below highlights how the impact of climate change
on livestock in Mongolia is affecting children and food
Agricultural yields and livestock availability.

“Farmers plant their crops but …

when the rain is expected to come, it
does not. This causes hunger to most
families, especially those that depend
on farming. My friends and classmates
… will be eating less food day by day.
They can’t afford new clothes and have
to wear small clothes.”
Naomi, age 13, Kericho, Kenya

5 2012 Climate Vulnerability Monitor, DARA, 2012

6 UNICEF Humanitarian Action Report, UNICEF 2013

UNICEF UK
unicef.org.uk/climatechange Climate change, food systems and children:
a case for greater action 3
 MONGOLIA: the impact of changing climate on food security

“In the last winter dzud [extreme

snow], I took turns to herd our
livestock of around 40 animals. I
needed to dig the snow to help the
livestock reach the grass, sometimes
by hand. When there is a snow
blizzard, I can’t see my way and I’m
afraid of getting lost. I’m also afraid
of wolves. My cheeks and ears freeze
and I get frostbite.” Girl, 16, Arkhangai, Mongolia

Mongolia is highly dependent on pastoralism for

sustaining livelihoods. The pastoral livestock
sector engages more than half the population and
provides food (meat and milk) and fibre to the
majority of the population. Livestock rearing and
© UNICEF/HQ10-0451/Cullen

crop production, as well as the grasslands and

water resources on which they depend, are
particularly vulnerable to droughts and dzud
(extreme snow) events. Because of climate
change areas unfavourable to grazing are
expected to increase to 65–70 per cent by 2050
and to 70–90 per cent by 2080.7 Some plant The 2010 dzud provides a telling example: A study
species are growing one to two months later as a by UNDP after the 2010 dzud found that of 32,500
result of declining precipitation, while others are small subsistence-level herders (owning fewer
growing with fewer leaves or at a reduced size. than 250 animals) in the 14 worst-affected
High-nutrient plants have also declined by 1.5–2.3 regions, 17 per cent reported experiencing a
times since 1940.8 shortage of food for daily consumption due to a
lack of cash to buy food, resulting in hunger. The
With poorer grazing conditions, the live weight of large number of livestock deaths (8.5 million)
animals is expected to decrease significantly, prevented families from selling milk, meat and
especially in the forest-steppe and steppe regions. cashmere fur for income. Families reported using
Data from 1980 to 2001 already shows a decline cash for children’s school supplies on food for the
in the average weight of sheep (–4 kg), goats household. The implication is that even a small
(–2 kg) and cattle ( –13 kg).9 Low weight affects risk of increased droughts and effects to livestock
other development processes, such as fertility and as a result of climate change and the knock-on
birth, productivity and resilience to cope with effects related to poor nutrition and disruptions in
extreme winter weather. Animal mortality is education could lead to development setbacks for
expected to increase to 12 per cent by 2020 and children and their families.
to 18–20 per cent by 2050.10 Livestock loss can
have devastating effects. Livestock and livestock Adapted from UNICEF research on children’s vulnerability to
productivity is the livelihood base for nearly half of climate change in East Asia and the Pacific 2011, UNICEF EAPRO
Mongolia’s population. Rural populations are
almost entirely dependent on livestock for
nutrition as well as for trade and income. Loss of
livestock means less income, less food and less
protection for these populations. 7 Dagvadorj et al., p. 205 (2009).
8 Boldgiv, p. 28 (2009).
9 Dagvadorj, p. 202.
10 As above, p. 72.

UNICEF UK
unicef.org.uk/climatechange Climate change, food systems and children:
a case for greater action 4
© UNICEF/HQ07-1373/Pirozzi

i. Social impacts children, which in turn leads to poor attendance

at school. A UN survey of progress toward the
The impact of climate change on the food system Millennium Development Goals found that school
– through its economic and environmental impacts attendance rates are lowest in communities with the
can also have a range of social impacts (such as on highest levels of malnutrition,12 a trend that is only
education, migration and well being) that greatly likely to intensify as climate change impacts further
effect children and their life chances. on malnutrition rates.

The impact of climate change on food and agriculture

Education can therefore significantly affect access to education
for children.
“Recently the harvest has reduced
... I know some children who have
Risks to child protection
dropped out of school. They say they
cannot concentrate in class because “I have lived here for seven years.
they are hungry. We have just one Before there was rain, but now the
or two meals per day because food rain is reducing and reducing ... There
is expensive. A kilo of maize flour weren’t so many street boys before
increased from 35 to 70 shillings, and but now there are a lot of street boys
my mother said it will get worse” because there isn’t enough food.”
Justus, age 14, Budalangi, Kenya Jack Waigwa, age 15, Nakuru, Kenya

Declining income from farming as a result of climate Although, it is an area still needing further research,
change can lead families to have less money for their existing research has highlighted that the impact
children. This can mean that families cannot afford of climate change on food security and livelihoods
to send their children to school. In Indonesia, one in is likely also have an impact on child vulnerability to
five rural children interviewed in 2011 stated that due psychosocial risks. UNICEF UK’s Our Children, Our
to weather events, they had to leave school because Climate, Our Responsibility report highlighted that
there was not enough money for them to continue.11
11 
The impacts of climate change on nutrition and migration
This trend is compounded by the fact that poor levels in Indonesia, UNICEF, 2011
of nutrition also lead to increased sickness among 12 Millennium Development Goals Report 2012, UN, 2012

UNICEF UK
unicef.org.uk/climatechange Climate change, food systems and children:
a case for greater action 5
children who are less healthy and suffering due to Rural to urban migration in low income countries
malnutrition face more risks both physiologically and due to changing agricultural yields is one of the most
psychologically and the impacts of climate change profound impacts of climate change. Nearly one in
could further exacerbate this trend.13 three rural children interviewed in Indonesia stated
that their parents had to move for work because
Families whose livelihoods are impacted adversely of harvest failure . The International Organization
by climate change phenomena (such as droughts and for Migration (IOM) puts this in global perspective,
floods) and subsequent changing food security might stating that ”rural to urban expected to rise as a result
find it harder to provide for their children and thus of accelerated climate change, with unprecedented
protect children from abuse and exploitation. Forced impacts on lives and livelihoods.”
migration for food and water access will also raise
child protection concerns such as forced recruitment, The effects of climate change on the food system,
displacement, family separation and exploitation.14 and subsequently children, can thus be seen on
two levels. On one level, climate change reduces
Declining family income due to changing agricultural family income and the availability of nutritious
yields might force children to be exploited through food, affecting children’s ability to survive. On a
child labour. A Maplecroft study in 2010 argued second level, the effects of climate change on the
that the impact of increasing climate stresses on food system impacts on the ability of children to
agriculture will force more families to “remove thrive, affecting their education, protection and
children from education and into the workforce to opportunities for a fair future. Climate change is
support their families.”15 Once in work, children may already having these effects, and these effects will
be more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. continue to intensify if climate change continues
unchecked.
Migration
Declining agricultural income due to climate change
can lead families to migrate. As families become
unable to feed their children and can no longer live off
the land they farm, they migrate from rural to urban
areas in search of new livelihoods. This in turn can
13 Our Children, Our Climate, Our Responsibility, UNICEF, 2008
lead to children being out of school, at increased risk
14 www.childfriendlycities.org/en/to-learn-more/related-topics/
of exploitation, and lacking sufficient nutritious food. children-climate-change-and-cfc, UNICEF, 2012.
There is also no certainty that families will find a better 15 Maplecroft Child Labour Index, Maplecroft (2010).
life for their children with migration to urban areas. http://maplecroft.com/about/news/child-labour-index.html
© UNICEF/HQ11-0114/Noorani

UNICEF UK
unicef.org.uk/climatechange Climate change, food systems and children:
a case for greater action 6
3. R
 ecommendations for action: protecting children
from climate triggered food impacts
The impacts of climate change on the food system greenhouse gas emission on Earth’s atmosphere.
pose serious threats to children, particularly those We are already seeing significant impacts on the
in low income countries. Measures must be taken food system as outlined in this paper. If children
to ensure that children are protected from such are to be able to cope in such a changing climate,
impacts. there is an urgent need to increase measures to
equip them and their communities with the skills
The UK Government, as an important actor in and resources to deal with the climate changes – a
international climate action and international measure known as adaptation.
development has a vital role to play in implementing
such measures. UNICEF UK recommends action by Adaptation and disaster risk reduction can help
the UK Government in the following areas to ensure families cope with the impact of climate change on
children everywhere can have a bright future, in spite food production. Thus can include providing crops
of the challenges presented by climate change to the that are more drought resistant to smallholder
food system. families in areas that are increasingly prone to
drought to ensure they are able to grow food in spite
i) Tackling emissions and further climate change of the climate changes. This provides families with
The impacts of climate change that we are now income and a food source that can help children
witnessing on the food system are the result of have nutritious food. Other examples of adaptation
historic greenhouse gas emissions by developed that can help children and families cope with the
countries. Considering the impacts on food and impacts of climate change on food include rainwater
agricultural productivity that the IPCC already predict harvesting: collecting and storing water in rainy
with existing climate change, it is vital that we periods that can be used for irrigation to grow food
prevent even worse and extreme impacts. in dry periods. Early warning systems can also be
set up in areas affected by climate triggered food
Continued carbon loading of the atmosphere will insecurity. Such systems can help ensure that
continue to undermine the food system and life children at risk of malnutrition get the food they need
chances of children in affected countries. Ambitious, before the crisis strikes.
strong and legally binding emissions reduction
targets in developed countries are essential to help The UK Government has a progressive record
prevent this. To this end, the UK should continue to in climate change programming through its
push the EU to move to a target of reducing carbon international aid activity. Within this, it is important
emissions by 30% by 2020. Similarly, the UK should that they prioritise adaptation that helps communities
continue to give support to emerging economies prevent or cope with food crises caused by climate
and developing countries to pursue sustainable low- change. Moreover, it is vital that they ensure that
carbon development paths. such adaptation strategies are implemented, so
that the risks faced by children from changing
This action will help ensure that the global food food security are addressed, and children reap the
system is not further undermined by additional benefits of adaptation.
climate change.
Recommendations for adaptation strategies
Recommendations for tackling emissions •  The UK Government should pursue adaptation
•  The UK Government should continue to push the policies at scale in vulnerable countries to help
EU to move to a target of 30 per cent emissions communities cope with the effects of climate
reduction by 2020. change on food security
•  The UK Government should continue to give •  The UK Government’s adaptation work in these
support to emerging economies and developing contexts should adequately recognise the
countries to pursue sustainable long term low risks faced by children in the context of food
carbon development paths and nutrition and seek to adequately address
these risks.
ii) Adaptation and equipping communities
Even if the world stopped emitting all greenhouse
gases tomorrow, we will still see significant
climate change as a result of historic emissions
from developing countries – the lag time effect of
UNICEF UK
unicef.org.uk/climatechange Climate change, food systems and children:
a case for greater action 7
 ETHIOPIA: adaptation to help children cope with food security challenges
Neighbours told Shilime about the UNICEF-
supported feeding programme at the village
health post.

Prior to the establishment of the health post,

villagers had to walk for two hours to get to the
© UNICEF/HQ12-0473/Getachew

closest facility. Shilime says that “If the health

post was not there, I would not have known
what to do. I would have stayed at home
helpless, and Shegitu would probably have
died.” But since she joined the programme,
Shegitu’s recovery has been amazing.
Shilime lives in Ethiopia with her elderly
mother and two children. In 2011, the rains UNICEF-supported training and supplies of
on which they depend for their corn harvest ready-to-use therapeutic food has increased the
were late. As a consequence, food stocks resilience of communities in Ethiopia, reducing
became low and the children rapidly lost the risk of preventable child deaths during times
weight. Her 18-month-old daughter Shegitu of drought and helping children to begin to cope
became severely malnourished – a condition with the impacts of climate change.
that can hinder healthy development and if
left untreated can cause death. The impacts of
climate change are causing such droughts to
become more frequent and intense. Adapted from Telling the DRR Story (UNICEF, 2012)

iii) Financing of climate strategies leadership on climate finance – committing £2.8

New and additional financial resources are essential billion of ODA to climate change between 2010 and
in order to deliver effective adaptation and support 2014. However, the effects of climate change will
the low carbon development needed to tackle the continue to intensify and new sources of finance will
impacts of climate change on food systems. be needed. The UK Government should therefore
fulfil its commitment to provide new and additional
Climate change, and in particular its impact on long- term climate finance to address the impact of
food, provides an additional challenge on top of climate change on children. We hope the G8 and G20
those that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is will identify ways in which they can work together
meant to address. It is therefore essential that new and commit to additional funding for a climate fund.
resources are found for climate change – known as
‘climate finance’. Recommendation for financing
•  The UK Government should mobilise its fair share
In 2009 in Copenhagen, governments agreed to of the global commitment of US$100 billion
mobilise US$100 billion dollars per year by 2020 of new and additional climate finance a year,
for climate change adaptation and mitigation in and encourage others to do the same. The UK
developing countries. This is based on the projected Government should help put in place a timeline
need from 2020 onwards and they stated that it and milestones for increasing climate finance such
must be ”new and additional” resources; that is, as through the UNFCCC work programme on long
additional to the existing international aid budget. This term finance in 2013.
sum is roughly equivalent to the total current global
flows of ODA. Long-term climate finance (additional
to ODA) is essential to protect those children most
vulnerable to climate change. Mobilisation of long-
term climate finance is therefore essential if we are
to protect children everywhere from malnutrition and
other health consequences of a changing climate.
The UK Government has so far shown international

UNICEF UK
unicef.org.uk/climatechange Climate change, food systems and children:
a case for greater action 8
4. T
 aking action now References
• Global Warming and Agriculture (IMF, 2008)
As this paper outlines, climate change is already • IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (IPCC, 2007)
having a devastating impact on the food system, • The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review
(HM Government, 2006)
particularly in low income countries. This is hitting • 2012 Climate Vulnerability Monitor (DARA, 2012)
children the hardest, despite the fact that they are • Humanitarian Action Report 2013 (UNICEF, 2013)
least responsible for the causes. The impacts of • Our Children, Our Climate, Our Responsibility (UNICEF UK, 2008)
• The impacts of climate change on nutrition and migration in
climate change on food are set to intensify in the Indonesia (UNICEF, 2011)
coming years. It is therefore essential that action • Millennium Development Goals Report 2012 (UN, 2012)
is taken immediately by countries such as the UK • Climate Change in Kenya: focus on children (UNICEF UK, 2010)
• Children’s vulnerability to climate change
to ensure children in vulnerable countries do not in East Asia and the Pacific (UNICEF, 2011)
see their lives undermined by climate change. • Telling the DRR Story (UNICEF, 2012)

2013 provides a number of high profile

opportunities to take action to help tackle the
impacts of climate change on food. UNICEF
UK encourages the UK government to show
leadership in these forums: at the Irish EU
presidency event on Food and Climate Change Briefing by Jazmin Burgess
in April; at the UNFCCC negotiations; at the G8 in Climate Change Policy and Research Officer
June and the G20 in autumn this year. UNICEF UK

Strong leadership and decisive action on climate

change can help ensure children everywhere For more info:
grow up to fulfil their potential and have enough
nutritious food. [email protected]
© UNICEF/HQ10-2203/Asselin

UNICEF UK
unicef.org.uk/climatechange Climate change, food systems and children:
a case for greater action 9