Children are the first casualties of climate change
Children are the first casualties of climate change
What comes after the Sharm El Sheikh Conference – COP27? It is the most important question after a year, and before the COP28 is held in Dubai – UAE early next November. Despite the climate and development recommendations and initiatives issued by this Egyptian summit, we still have a lot to achieve locally and regionally.
We are now striving to reach net zero emissions; In order for the Earth’s temperature to remain below 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial revolution levels, this is what pushed Egypt towards greater efforts to combat climate change and adapt to the effects of this change.
For this goal, we must transform fossil energy into types ofNew and renewable energy, which is a transformation among other green transformations, the most important of which – of all – is the energy sector; Because fossil fuels are the source of most greenhouse gas emissions in the entire world.
I would not be exaggerating if I said: climate change could eliminate all the progress we can gain in the health, education, environment, and other sectors. These changes target not only Egypt, but the entire world. If we are aware of the reality of the historical circumstance in which Egyptian hands are working hard, and in which we are also monitoring indicators of the global climate trend; We must bear upon ourselves the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and preserve the environment in a way that includes all segments of society.
There is no group more in need of this conscious environmental awareness than children, as studies confirm that they will be affected – in the future – to a greater degree than current parents and grandparents by a factor of three times; Therefore, activating development plans and strategies to combat climate change is no longer effective if we remain ignorant of the rights that children have over us. So that they are not affected by different climatic effects.
Climate crisis Children’s crisis
Egypt – as I said earlier – is one of many countries struggling with climate change, and perhaps it is more vulnerable than others to an increase in severe heat waves – perhaps we all noticed this in the heat of the past July and August – in addition to its exposure to storms on the Mediterranean coast.
Hence, I can say without exaggeration: “COP27” and the severe climate changes that Egypt is facing are two of the engines of the Egyptian consciousness, which are pushing it towards a mandatory turning point entitled: Climate is a top priority; Therefore, “Egypt Vision 2030” will be a great opportunity to integrate climate change issues with political and social solutions, which will be followed by greening the budget of all sectors.
If we take climate issues as a national goal, then protecting children is the most important thing we should want to achieve from our work on climate issues. Before acknowledging the climate and the effects of its harmful changes, we must acknowledge that the climate crisis is nothing but a crisis for children, in terms of their right to a green life free of diseases. In other words: climate impacts do not affect the current generation to the same extent as they affect subsequent generations, who are – of course – children, and then they will grow up and the harmful effects of climate will grow with them.
Therefore, I do not think that anyone disputes that the issue of climate change is an issue that affects children before any other group, and this is confirmed by a report issued by UNICEF, in which the impact of heat waves on children was reviewed, and that the picture will be bleak by the year 2050 if we do not address these harmful effects.
Egyptian laws combat climate change
At the twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties (COP) – which it hosted in the city of Sharm El-Sheikh__EG_PH_41__EG_PH_39_, Egypt defended fair and comprehensive financing through which the effects of climate change could be addressed, and called for a pledge from developed countries to eliminate the harmful climate impacts found in developing countries, countries that had not A direct cause of these effects.
Likewise, children need a just and effective solution, as they are not the causes of the severe climate crises the world is going through. This was the reference of Mr. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi – President of the Arab Republic of Egypt – when he opened the “COP27” activities last November, as he saw that women, men, youth and children share one destiny and one goal.
This is what the concerned authorities followed, following the directives of Mr. President; Egypt has pledged to respect children and their rights since signing the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, followed by the Egyptian Child Law No. (112) of 1996, then the Egyptian Constitution was issued in 2014, and then the National Human Rights Strategy was launched in September 2021.
Hence, Egypt worked to reduce pollution and raise environmental awareness about methods of preserving the environment, by teaching children in schools and young people in universities the importance of preserving the environment as a healthy and safe lifestyle. Despite this, there is still a long way to go towards climate action that makes children a goal and a priority. I believe that the solution is for Egypt and all parties to call for a global climate conference for children. So that the world pays attention to the fact that children have been targeted – in the first place – by climate action since the beginning of climate conferences – conferences of the parties – and that we must strive to combat future climate changes and adapt to current climate changes; For a sustainable world for us and for future generations.
In conclusion, I confirm that we are on the right path, with the need to make more efforts, and many actual recommendations and initiatives to limit climate change, and to look at children as the subject of the solution that everyone must look at with great interest. So that we can guarantee them – and the entire society – a sustainable homeland and a green life.
