Climate change is already happening and impacting on children and their rights in some of the poorest countries in the world. UNICEF UK recently launched Carbon Positive, an innovative new approach to the challenge of climate change, which helps businesses and individuals take responsibility for the impact their carbon footprint is having on vulnerable communities.

Through the online tool, users calculate their carbon footprint, learn how to reduce it and invest in UNICEF adaptation projects – relative to the footprint calculated– to help those children most adversely affected by environmental change. Although you are encouraged to make an investment relative to the size of the carbon footprint you have calculated, there is no set limit and any amount donated will help make a difference to the lives of children.

The money raised by Carbon Positive goes towards vulnerable children and their families to adapt to the effects of climate change, and ensure that no matter where they live, all children are able to enjoy their right to a healthy and safe childhood.

To become Carbon Positive and learn more about UNICEF’s climate change work, please visit: www.unicef.org.uk/climate-change

Examples of UNICEF adaptation projects being funded through Carbon Positive

Mozambique:

Mozambique already experiences more natural disasters than other parts of Africa due to its geographical location and these extreme weather events are increasing in occurrence and severity as a result of climate change. These include sea level rising impacts on coastal communities, cyclones, floods and droughts. The arrival of the rainy seasons has already changed dramatically and the country is seeing more natural disasters than ever experienced historically. These disasters regularly cause major damage and exacerbate poverty and vulnerability in the country. Poor access to safe water and sanitation is common during weather related disasters, leaving communities, particularly children and women, vulnerable to diseases. Flooding and cyclones can damage, salinate or pollute clean drinking water, and drought puts additional stress on water scarcity.

Currently only around 36 per cent of the population has access to safe water and 45 per cent has access to adequate sanitation. Factors related to water, sanitation and hygiene in schools affect children’s right to education in many ways. Only a third of Mozambican primary schools have water and sanitation facilities, most of which are dilapidated. The lack of adequate sanitation facilities and clean water in school has a detrimental impact on children – particularly girls – being able to access their right to an education.

The UNICEF project to help provision of rain water harvesting technology in 30 schools in the district of Buzi, Changara and Chibuto, will help improve access to clean water and proper sanitation facilities and help these children realise their right to an education and give them a better chance in life. Rainwater harvesting and storage can ensure there is a clean supply of water despite rainy seasons becoming less predictable and as a supplement to reduced clean groundwater source.

Bangladesh (emergency preparedness, education and water):

Bangladesh is at high risk from climate change due to its location, low lying geography, high population density and poverty levels. More frequent and severe flooding and cyclones are already damaging water and sanitation facilities, disrupting education, impacting on health and putting children’s lives at risk.

This project will help communities (340,000 people in 3 districts) at risk of cyclones, floods, droughts and sea level rising, to become resilient to any climatic changes and adapt their infrastructure.

This includes creating ecological villages and neighbourhoods, preparing communities and schools to reduce their risk to disasters, adapting their water supply and making sure their schools are safer places. It will also be delivered with a low environmental impact with the creation of bio-gas from organic waste, reducing the communities’ dependence on fossil fuel.