WHO is custodian to 16 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators linked to the health of children, adolescents, and youth that are negatively impacted by climate change or its drivers. The WHO recognizes that the majority of the world’s 2.2 billion children are disproportionately affected by changes in their environment in the near- and long-term, and to that end recognizes the importance of the stabilization and reduction of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations for the health and development of children, adolescents, and youth, as a point of intergenerational equity. States have obligations to respect, protect and fulfill human rights, including the rights to health and to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment when taking climate action. The Preamble to the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) clearly recognizes these obligations and the need for gender equality and intergenerational equity. More emphasis on intergenerational equity and the health and well-being of children, adolescents, and youth is needed in implementation and assessment of the Paris Agreement.
It is critical that UNFCCC Parties recognize that the stabilization and reduction of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations at levels consistent with the Paris Agreement temperature goal promotes health and wellbeing, particularly for children, adolescents, youth, and future generations.
