Climate change and impacts

A rainy morning might feel like the perfect time to sleep in, but it can also rob some families of the opportunity to go to work or to school. Here, in the third of a three-part series, we look at why children’s futures are in jeopardy when climate change disrupts their education.  Jasmin Irisha Jim Ilham, Climate and Environment Consultant,…, Missed opportunity for learning , “A couple of missed days at school is not a big deal, but when it becomes a regular occurrence, the children really miss out on a lot of their educational development,” says Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Professor Dr Hidayatulfathi Othman, a co-researcher on the team that carried out the study ‘Impact of Climate Change on Children: A Malaysian…, Domino effect of parents’ income on young children , Very often, the rainy season affects parents’ incomes in places like Pos Kuala Mu and Pulau Gaya where economic activities are climate-sensitive. For example, many families rely on farming and rubber tapping at Pos Kuala Mu, while on Pulau Gaya, most are fishermen. Extreme weather events cause these activities to grind to a halt and during these…, Not just a rural problem , Those living in urban areas are not spared. In PPR Sungai Bonus, a low-cost housing project in Kuala Lumpur, residents working as Grab drivers saw decreased income during the rainy season as fewer people ventured outdoors.   “I work as a Grab driver, so during heavy rain with the storm and lightning…who wants to go out? Who wants to take the risk…, We can be game changers , How do we ensure that we can teach our children the skills that will give them the opportunity to improve their futures?  First of all, the education sector needs to be climate-smart.  It is through education that children can first be made aware of climate change. This will give them the ability to adapt and cope with the effects of climate…

Feeling under the weather? It might be climate change and it is impacting the health of our children more than we realise. Here, in the second of a three-part series, we take a look at the impact of climate change on the health and well-being of children in Malaysia.  Issmail Nnafie, Programme Specialist for Innovation & Sustainability, UNICEF…, Flooded with danger , In Malaysia, the effects of climate change and environmental degradation on the health and well-being of children can be seen in several ways.  The high rainfall has increased the risk of floods. In addition to facing higher risk of injury and death, children are also more vulnerable to falling ill from water-borne diseases that are often spread…, An itching menace , Climate change has also affected climate-sensitive vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue.  While malaria has a very low incidence rate in the country, dengue is still a common disease. As cited in the report, in 2013, 450,000 children under four and another 500,000 children 15 years and below contracted dengue. In 2013 and 2014, children…, When pollution is in the air , Environmental degradation has also led to worsening air quality. Malaysians have become all too familiar with haze and children are more at risk because their lungs, brains, physical defences and immune systems are not fully developed. Children also breathe more rapidly than adults, taking in a relatively higher proportion of pollutants.   In Pos…, A matter of the mind , It is not just the risk of physical harm that threatens children. “Children are also at risk psychologically,” says Dr Yanti. According to the report, approximately 10 per cent of children exposed to traumatic events will develop post-traumatic stress disorders. Floods, typhoons, landslides are all traumatic events that many children, especially…, Let’s do better for our children , These findings show us that there are gaps, and with it opportunities, for us to do better for our children.   In Malaysia, the Ministry of Health has established health guidelines and action plans to deal with common events such as floods, haze, and climate-sensitive diseases. While the macro-level strategic plans do not explicitly focus on…

With accelerating climate change and environmental degradation, the world is seeing drastic changes in weather patterns as well as availability of clean air, clean water and nutritious food. All life on the planet will be affected, but not equally so. A new study zeroes in on the fact that in these scenarios, children have the most to lose. …, A focus on children , These are some of the stories that have been unearthed in the study, ‘Impact of Climate Change on Children: A Malaysian Perspective’. This is the first study that addresses children as an especially vulnerable group vis-a-vis the impact of climate change and environmental degradation in the country.  Conducted by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (…, Living on the Margins , As part of the study, the research team also spotlighted the precarious position of marginalised children who live on the periphery of mainstream society. On-the-ground engagement was carried out with three communities: the children of Pulau Gaya, the Temiar indigenous people living in Pos Kuala Mu, Perak, and the urban poor at PPR Sg Bonus in…, The way forward , Among the recommendations highlighted in the report was a move towards a more child-sensitive governance framework. The report states: “Children often fare the worst in climate- and weather-related disasters such as floods, droughts, forest fires and cyclones. And yet children are consistently overlooked in the design and content of climate…