Source: World Vision
The research, carried out earlier this year, was led by young people and finds that more extreme weather events are affecting young people’s safety, economic opportunities, and mental health.
Participants reported experiencing increased vulnerability to illnesses, injuries, and anxiety and depression, as climate change and disasters cause food shortage and water scarcity and put a strain on their families’ income and communities’ livelihoods.
World Vision’s Head of Pacific Partnerships, Hanna Taylor-Moller, says the report offers a clear indication of the mental and physical impact climate change is having on young people.
“This research, by young people and of young people, shows how vulnerable they feel due to the changing climate and how this makes them feel fearful and worried about their futures,” she says.
The research included more than 700 young people from the Pacific nations of Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Palau, Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
The majority of Pasifika children and young people reported experiencing water-related disasters including heavy rainfalls, typhoons, cyclones, flooding, and extreme heat or drought.
Pasifika young people also highlighted the impact of rising sea levels, with salinisation impacting access to safe drinking water and food due to the salination of crops.
A 22-year-old from Vanuatu told researchers how frightened he was when his house collapsed due to King tides when he was just 11-years-old.
“I remember waking up to my parents ordering me and my little sisters to help pack what remained of our things, as we were moving to Grandma’s. No one explained to me what was happening, and I ran out to see what happened to the house of my friend, who was also
my neighbour. I was so scared, and felt like my home was taken away from me because of the waves.”
A 17-year-old from the Federated States of Micronesia spoke of his fears for access to clean water.
“When there is no rain, we depend on wells, and saltwater intrusion is impacting access to drinking water from the wells. Children and families now rely on coconuts as a source of drinking water, but due to the worsening impacts of climate change, I am worried that in another ten years, these coconut trees may not be able to produce enough for people to depend on,” he says.
The research also found that children reported that their physical health was affected by an increase in exposure to climate-related diseases such as Dengue Fever, Malaria, and Cholera.
Participants also spoke about the impact on their mental health, with many children and young people reporting anxiety and depression and many Pasifika participants reporting feeling unsafe.
A participant in Cambodia said: “I feel afraid because the disasters are becoming more serious each year.”
They also had concerns about how climate change and disasters damage their schools, disrupt their education, and reduce their ability to learn and perform well in school.
Participants also expressed fear for their survival and anxieties about their future owing to the impacts of the climate crisis and associated disasters.
Taylor-Moller says its heartbreaking to hear children and young people express fears for their futures.
“Climate change is not just an environmental challenge – it’s a whole of life challenge “It’s so important that we listen to the voices of young people and include them in our decision making as we grapple with climate change and how to address it in the short, medium and long-term,” she says.
Taylor-Moller says the research also found that some young people had limited knowledge about climate change and that many were hankering for more information.
“As weather and temperature patterns become more extreme and disasters become more devastating, our efforts within communities need to recognise and respond to the needs of children and young people and to help them to understand not just about the risks but the very real mitigation and adaptation measures we can take to help. This research will help us deliver our programs in a way that works for them.
“We hope this research inspires decision-makers at the community, government, and NGO level to connect with young people and bring them into the decision-making process to address climate change in a way that takes into account their views and their hopes for the future.”
