Photo source: © UNICEF Australia (unicef.org.au)
Excerpt from unicef.org.au
In Australia and around the world, a growing number of extreme weather events caused by climate change are having a devastating impact on the lives of children. More than 1 billion young people – nearly half of the world’s children – are at extremely high risk of the impacts of climate change, and every child in the world is already affected by at least one climate shock.
In places like the Maldives, the situation is particularly concerning. Situated in South Asia, southwest of Sri Lanka and India, the Maldives is an archipelago made up of 1192 islands. While many know it as a tourist destination famous for its tropical climate and turquoise waters, it is one of the lowest-lying nations in the world, making it particularly vulnerable to climate shocks, including tsunamis, floods, and rising sea levels.
During a recent visit to the Maldives, the young leaders from UNICEF Maldives’ Climate Guardians program explained the challenges – and opportunities – they face during a recent visit from UNICEF Australia and Islamic Relief Australia, the main funding partners for the program.