Every child in the world is in “immediate danger” says a new study from more than 40 of the world’s best child health experts.
The report – commissioned by the World Health Organization and UNICEF – says that the devastating impact of climate change and the dangers posed with a high-calorie diet “threaten the future of all children”.
“The big message is that no single country is protecting children’s health today and for their future,” said Anthony Costello, professor of International Child Health and Director of the Institute for Global Health at University College London.
“When you look at the damage being done to children’s lungs by air pollution, we’ve got a very limited time to sort this out,” he said.
“We have the solutions, what we don’t have is the political leadership and will to make it happen.”
The report ranked the performance of 180 countries when it comes to child survival and nutritional rates.
Generally, the wealthier nations tend to be out of the danger zones while less-developed countries fall into threat levels. However, when climate change data is added not a single country actively passed.
“The world’s decision makers are failing today’s children and youth: failing to protect their health, failing to protect their rights, and failing to protect their planet,” said WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Authors of the report called on world government to increase regulation on nutrition and advertisements that targeted children, as well as governments to radically reduce carbon emissions.
