Climate change - more needed for SA kids
2011-11-19 14:52
Pretoria - South Africa's climate change policies do not take adequate account of the effect climate change will have on children, Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana said on Saturday.
"Children stand to be the most severely affected by climate change. The voices of the children must be heard," Xingwana said at the launch of a United Nations Children's Fund report in Pretoria.
The report focused on the impact that climate change would have on South Africa's children.
She said that discussions on climate change in the country seldom took account of children.
Xingwana pointed out that about 40% of South Africa's population were children.
"South Africa's changing climate will have a profound effect on children's well being."
Xingwana said her department would be aiming to launch a campaign to create greater awareness about climate change.
Aware
This followed from the fact that there were large portions of the population - both children and adults - that had low levels of awareness about climate change.
Lindsey Jones, a researcher who worked on the report, said that South Africa's average temperature had increased by 0.6°C since 1960.
The western parts of the country would see reduced rainfall, while the eastern portions of the country would see increased rainfall and temperatures.
Jones said that by the 2090s average temperatures could have increased by as much as 4.3°C.
Researcher Patricia Martin said: "Children are invisible in the current climate change policies."
She said that policies should take account of children and their vulnerability to climate change.
- SAPA