More than 420,000 children in the Amazon basin have been affected by “dangerous levels” of water scarcity and drought in three countries, according to the United Nations.
The record-breaking drought, ongoing since last year, is taking a toll on Indigenous and other communities in Brazil, Colombia and Peru reliant on boat connections, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said ahead of the COP29 climate change summit in Baku, Azerbaijan.
“We are witnessing the devastation of an essential ecosystem that families rely on, leaving many children without access to adequate food, water, health care and schools,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement on Thursday.
“We must mitigate the effects of extreme climate crises to protect children today and future generations. The health of the Amazon affects the health of us all.”
The UN agency called on leaders to deliver critical actions, including “a dramatic increase” in climate financing for children.
The resulting food insecurity in the Amazon increased …