United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund

The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) says the ongoing United Nations climate change conference (COP29) must recognize the disproportionate impact of climate change on children.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is attending the conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, where indications are that deliberations will focus on increasing funding for climate action.

Unicef ​​says heads of state should ensure a dramatic increase in climate finance for children.

“Schools are flooded, health services are washed away and access to food evaporates,” Unicef ​​said.

“The climate crisis affects children the most, their health, their safety, their very ability to survive and lead fulfilling lives.

“Nearly 1 billion children live at extremely high risk of climate change impacts.”

“COP29 should also ensure that all new NDCs (nationally determined contributions) are child-sensitive and respond to the disproportionate impact of climate change on children.”

In a separate report, ActionAid International’s global climate justice leader, Teresa Anderson, said countries that caused the climate crisis must pay to fix the mess.

“Countries on the front line that have done next to nothing to cause the problem are being pushed deeper into debt by the climate crisis,” she said.

“However, they are the ones stuck with a growing climate bill as they bear the costs of disaster recovery, preparing for future impacts and transitioning to green technologies.

“Climate-affected countries desperately need COP29 to agree on a new climate finance target worth trillions of dollars in grants each year.”

ActionAid Senior Policy Analyst Kelly Stone said climate finance was central to a fair and equitable approach to climate action.

“The world can only meet the goals of the Paris Agreement if everyone does their part, and for rich, developed countries like the US, which includes real, grant-based funding for climate change,” Stone said.

In a position paper ahead of COP29, the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife highlighted the importance of climate finance.

Rodney Mutombo, a young climate change activist who attended COP29, said Zimbabwe has not been spared the impact of the climate crisis.

“Without adequate finance, vulnerable communities will be unable to adapt and mitigate the climate-induced losses and damage to which they have contributed the least,” said Mutombo.

“Rich countries must take responsibility at this COP. If world leaders fail to agree on a meaningful new financial goal, it will be a failure for humanity, especially for young people and women in the Global South.

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