Have you ever heard of a ‘climate change refugee’ or felt guilty about being born on the ‘right’ continent? Well, you should. Because climate change is causing famines, floods and natural disasters across the world and it’s hitting home too. People are literally being forced to leave their homes because of severe weather events and food shortages. It breaks my heart to think that the children of the world are suffering because of climate change and nobody is doing anything about it. This is why you should help our planet’s kids write. It’s our chance to show the world that while we may be small in number, we’re big in heart. Together, we can make a difference. We can avert climate change and ensure that every child on the planet knows that they are cared for.
Families Are Being Split Apart
Families are literally being split apart because of the impact of climate change. Whether it’s been a flood or a drought that’s affected the village or city in which they live, climate change is playing a big role in breaking up communities. People are being forced to leave their homes and even siblings are falling out of love because they can no longer spend time together. There are entire communities that have been wiped off the map. Kids are growing up in tents and shipping containers because they have nowhere else to go. It’s a terrible situation.
The way families are structured and the dependence that many people have on farming makes it even more apparent that climate change is having a detrimental effect on the fabric of society. Farmers are being forced to give up producing crops because they can’t get enough water and the food that they do grow is being ruined by drought. The people who grow our fruit and vegetables are being affected by climate change and it’s showing. The shelves in our supermarkets are becoming bare as people try to feed themselves instead of wasting money on imported goods. It’s heartbreaking to see how vulnerable families have been split apart by climate change and how desperately they need our help. If we want to stand a chance of averting climate change, we need to stand together as a human family and show our government and businesses that we will not be defeated by a problem that is beyond our control. These are the families that you should be thinking about when you’re helping our planet’s kids write.
Schools Are Closures
Another thing that climate change has had a severe impact on is the school system. Many countries have had to ramp up their education system to cater for the extra work that climate change has caused. In some parts of the world, especially Africa, schools have become a lifeline for young people. Those who can go to school and get an education can move out of poverty and help their families and communities. However, climate change has halted this progress. Children are no longer able to attend school because there’s no power, water or buildings that are safe enough. It’s a heartbreaking situation for these kids who have been denied an education because of climate change.
It’s a similar story across the world. Drought has forced Indonesia to close down schools in some parts of the country. This has caused an education gap between boys and girls. In Syria, schools have been reduced to rubble because of the conflict that climate change has caused. In these situations, lack of education is one of the major issues that needs addressing. If we want to tackle climate change and its adverse effects, we need to get educated about it. Those who have been denied an education due to war and famine should be given the opportunity to go to school. This is where our planet’s kids really need help.
Hunger Can Still Be Felt
Speaking of those who have been denied an education, hunger is another major issue that they’re grappling with. It’s been documented that climate change is causing famines due to erratic weather patterns and limited food production. Millions of people are suffering from malnutrition and many health problems are being attributed to this. It’s a serious problem and one that needs to be addressed. In the United Kingdom, it’s been estimated that 400,000 people could starve to death if urgent action isn’t taken. While this may be a small number compared to the billions affected worldwide, it’s still a lot of people. It’s not just the lack of food that they’re struggling with, but the expensive and scarce resources that are needed to survive. This is why you should help our planet’s kids write. It’s an opportunity to highlight the effects that climate change is having on communities across the world. While many people are aware of the issue and some are even doing their best to make a difference, we need to put the spotlight firmly back on this issue and compel people to do something about it.
There are many climate change refugees that you should be aware of. It’s not just the people who have left their homes because of flooding or drought. It’s also the countless others who have been denied an education because of the impact that climate change has had on their communities. They need our help and we need to put the spotlight back on this issue. The sooner that our leaders wake up to the fact that climate change is no longer a distant problem, the sooner we’ll be able to help. Together, we can make a difference. We can tackle climate change and ensure that every child on the planet knows that they are cared for. This is why you should help our planet’s kids write.