Pediatric societies’ declaration on responding to the impact of climate change on children
There is a crisis in the global response to the changing climate. Over the last five years, the world has failed to meet the targets established in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions is lagging particularly far behind. Many high-income countries rank near the bottom in terms of performance on contributions to global ecological sustainability (measured as excess CO2 emissions relative to 2030 targets). Low-income countries rank near the top with regard to global ecological sustainability. The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland offers an important, indeed essential, opportunity to create sustained momentum for the policies and funding that are required to keep the global temperature rise under 1.5°C to protect human health and the planet.
In 2020 the International Society for Social Pediatrics and Child Health identified the need to rally pediatricians and child health professionals from around the world to address the climate crisis because of its adverse effects on child health. In response, a declaration on responding to the impact of climate change on children was drafted by the International Society for Social Pediatrics and Child Health and subsequently revised and adopted by the International Pediatric Association.
Read the Pediatric Societies’ declaration: Responding to the impact of climate change on children