Will our kids survive the heat? Report paints grim picture if global warming left unchecked

Save the Children (STC) is urging Aotearoa New Zealand to reduce global warming, following a report that details the “simply unfair” effects on tamariki if neglected.

The global assessment "Born into the Climate Crisis 2 – An Unprecedented Life: Protecting Children’s Rights in a Changing Climate" shows that holding warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is crucial, so almost half of the children born in 2020 (58 million) can avoid unprecedented climate extremes.

If achieved, 38 million will be protected from lifetime heatwave exposure, eight million from crop failures, five million each from river floods and tropical cyclones, two million from droughts and 1.5 million from wildfires.

Heather Campbell, the Chief Executive for STC, stresses that equity among these children magnifies the danger, where 66 per cent of New Zealand children already encounter at least one severe climate event each year.

She adds that one in 10 of those children are at particular risk, as they also face poverty and therefore have less recovery capacity to climate shocks.

The report also notes that low-income countries show the highest exposure across generations.

Campbell says particular groups of children, such as tamariki Māori, Pasifika children, and children with disabilities, are more likely to be living in families that are already struggling to pay for essentials, such as healthy food, a warm home, and access to healthcare, as the cost of living rises.

“It's these New Zealand families that are going to struggle the most in the face of extreme climate events,” Campbell says.

“It’s really essential that we help support them with pre-planned financial support, access to services and necessities such as shelter and food if climate events hit.”

The main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, Campbell recalls when Vanuatu youth ambassador Haruka and her family stopped repairing their roof following cyclones, as they arrived too often.

Haruka says her family home was destroyed by Cyclone Pam in 2015.

“Fortunately, we were living elsewhere at the time, but when moving back, we were forced to start from scratch,” she says. “Due to challenges with livelihood and consecutive cyclones, the house has been under construction and remained unfinished for years now.

During the cyclone, for one of my friends, the roof was completely ripped off, and they were forced to evacuate immediately. Experiencing cyclones every year has almost become the norm now - it’s like everyone’s gotten used to them, but they’re still incredibly devastating.”

The report notes that if warming spikes to at least 3.5 degrees, 111 million, or 92 per cent, of children born in 2020 will live with unheard-of heatwaves, a contrast to the 62 million affected under a 1.5 degrees scenario.

The study also warns that every tenth of a degree matters because “climate extremes become routine disruptions” without sharper emissions cuts.

Campbell says child-led engagement in finding solutions is vital, arguing that children “have the right to be heard on issues that matter to them.”

Haruka inspecting the damage in the ceiling of her family house due to cyclones in Vanuatu. Photo/Save The Children

“This is near and dear to my heart, and it always surprises me if I go to some panel or conference and it's a lot of older adults talking about issues that affect children,” Campbell adds.

“We need to ensure their voices are heard by the highest policy makers, and that's at the heart of what we do at Save The Children.”

Campbell lists three key recommendations for policymakers, the first being to take “ambitious and urgent” action now to limit warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees. This includes rapidly and equitably phasing out the use, subsidisation, and financing of fossil fuels, alongside historically high-emission and income countries needing to lead the way.

“The second recommendation is that we need to urgently close the adaptation gap. We need to provide loss and damage funding, provide new and additional climate finance, prioritising children and child critical social services.

“This should have a particular focus on reaching children most at risk. This climate finance should take the form of grants, particularly for adaptation and loss and damage.”

“The final recommendation is that children, their rights, their voices and their unique needs and vulnerabilities must be centred in the international climate plans and agreements.”

Watch Heather Campbell’s full interview below.