Environmental harm is a significant threat to children's rights globally. Children are demanding immediate action, and their rights must be protected. A clean, healthy and sustainable environment is both a human right itself, and necessary for children to enjoy their rights. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has published its General Comment on Children’s Rights and the Environment with a Special Focus on Climate Change (General Comment No. 26). It is the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child’s authoritative guidance on how children’s rights are impacted by environmental harm and climate change and what governments must do to uphold these rights to ensure that children live in a clean, healthy and sustainable world. How are children's rights related to the environment and climate change? All children's rights are connected and equally important. Some rights are particularly threatened by environmental harm and climate change. Some rights also play an important role in helping to protect children's rights - such as their right to education. Article 2 - Right to non-discrimination - Environmental harm can be a bigger threat for certain groups of children, especially Indigenous children, children of minority groups, children with disabilities, and children living in places more affected by disasters and climate change. Governments need to collect information to learn more about the inequalities between groups, and take specific actions to resolve them. When governments take action on environmental issues, they must take extra care to not have a negative effect on children. Article 3 - Best interests of the child - When making decisions about the environment and climate change, governments must consider how children will be impacted, and how they will support the wellbeing and development of children growing up today and in the future. Article 12 - Right to be heard - Children should be taken seriously by adults and have a say on issues related to the environment and climate change. Governments should involve children when making decisions about the environment and climate change, and make sure they give feedback to children about how their views were considered. Articles 13, 15 - Right to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. Children often stand up for their environmental rights as human rights defenders. Many children also spend time with friends and groups where they exchange information and ideas. Governments should support children to express themselves by providing safe and empowering spaces for them to do so. Governments should adopt laws to protect child human rights defenders. Articles 13, 17 - Access to information. Governments should make sure that children have access to clear, accurate environmental and climate-related information, including information about plans and decisions being made, and about actions that children can take themselves. Information should be shared in different ways so that children of different ages and backgrounds can understand it. Article 19 - The right to freedom from all forms of violence. Environmental harm and climate change can lead to unstable situations, conflicts and inequalities, leaving children at more risk of physical and psychological violence. Governments should make more effort to protect children by investing in services that are for children and by working to solve the root causes of violence. Article 24 - Right to health. Children's physical and mental health should not be affected by climate change, pollution, unhealthy ecosystems, and loss of biodiversity. If a child experiences health issues, they must be able to access healthcare and support. Articles 26, 27 - Right to social security and decent standard of living. Children should be able to access safe food, clean water, decent housing and materials needed for them to live and grow. Governments need to make sure children are not living in poverty or unsafe conditions. Articles 28, 29 - Right to education. Children should be given environmental education that is accurate and in ways that they understand. Environmental education should support children to connect with, and respect, the environment. The places where children learn should be safe from environmental harm. Article 30 - The rights of Indigenous children and children of minority groups. Indigenous children and children of minority groups' lives, survival and cultural practices are often very connected to their natural environment. Governments should make sure to protect their rights and involve children in all decisions being made about their environment Article 31 - Right to rest and play. Children should be able to play and be active in clean, safe places and connect with our natural world. Governments need to consider where and how children can play and rest when they make plans for new neighbourhoods or places where children may visit. Right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment The children have the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Children need a clean environment in order to enjoy all of their human rights. Children should have access to clean air and water, safe climates, healthy ecosystems and biodiversity, healthy food and non-polluted environments. Government action to protect Child rights What do governments need to do to protect children's rights, including their right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment? Respect, protect, and fulfil children's rights by taking bold, concrete steps and keeping their promises to make sure every child grows up in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Carry out regular Child Rights Impact Assessments to understand (and resolve) how their decisions about the environment will impact (or are impacting) children -paying special attention to how children of all ages and backgrounds might be impacted differently. Make sure businesses also respect children's rights by creating laws, regulations and policies to prevent companies from polluting the environment and harming children, and to make sure businesses do not hide their environmental impact. Make sure children are supported to access justice - that is, solutions, support and compensation for the harm and consequences they are experiencing - at national, regional and international levels. Cooperate internationally with other governments as environmental problems do not stop at a country's border. Countries that are most responsible for negatively impacting the environment and have the most resources should take more action than others, and support countries that are impacted the most. Governments should consider children's rights in all decisions made about climate change and consider climate change in all decisions being made about children. They should: Mitigate the impact of climate change. This includes keeping their promises to limit the warming of the planet, following what scientists tell us about climate change, and taking urgent action. Include children in the development of adaptation plans, decisions and solutions and protecting children who are already experiencing the effects of climate change. This includes strengthening school buildings and water pipes against storms, flooding and other weather extremes, and providing food supplies in cases of emergency. Provide financial and technical assistance to countries experiencing losses and damages that are impacting children's rights. Make sure businesses, including global businesses in more than one country, do not negatively impact children's rights by ensuring businesses rapidly reduce their emissions and encouraging renewable energies. Make sure that climate finance does not support action that may violate children's rights. Source : UNICEF Related resources Convention on the Rights of the Child