Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC)
A report that discusses the impact of climate, environmental, and energy issues on children and their families, particularly from the perspectives of children.
Highlights
The Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC) in Sierra Leone report discusses the impact of climate, environmental, and energy issues on children and their families, particularly from the perspectives of children.
Through focus group discussions and a U-Report poll, children have expressed concern over the lack of light to do their homework in the evenings; the long distances they travel to find water during the dry season; the dangers girls face when collecting firewood; and the increase in asthma and other respiratory diseases, due to the climatic, environmental, and energy-related changes in the country.
International scientific evidence supports the children’s observation: sea levels are projected to rise by 26-82 cm by 2100 if urgent action is not taken to cut global and domestic gas emissions. Ninety percent of the disasters recorded in Sierra Leone over the past 30 years are related to flooding, and yet water scarcity is increasing in the country once known for its plentiful rainfall and abundant water resources.
The report indicates that children are by far the most vulnerable to these climatic, environmental, and energy-related changes, and the effects cut across every sphere of their lives, from the destruction of school buildings by storms to increased risk of exposure to child labour or child marriage due to the disruption of livelihoods by the impacts of COVID-19 and the increased economic pressure.
Further, the report shows that the most vulnerable children – those from the poorest households, in rural areas, with disabilities, more often girls – are also the most likely to be impacted by climate related events, affecting their accessibility to food, schools, hospitals and other basic infrastructure and necessities.
