Actor and UNICEF UK Ambassador, Gemma Chan, recently visited UNICEF’s humanitarian supply warehouse in Denmark, to help pack vital supplies for children affected by climate change and support UNICEF UK in its call on the UK Government to increase funding to overseas aid and do more to protect the world’s children from future climate crises.
The visit comes as UNICEF today releases its flagship The State of the World’s Children report on World Children’s Day, revealing a worrying projection for children’s future life chances in the year 2050 unless world leaders, including the UK Government, act now.
According to the report, in the decade of 2050-2059, climate and environmental crises are expected to become more widespread, with eight times as many children exposed to extreme heatwaves, three times as many exposed to extreme river floods, and nearly twice as many exposed to extreme wildfires, compared to the 2000s.*
As world leaders unite at COP29 this week, UNICEF UK is calling on the UK Government to take action and commit to a Global Growing Up Promise, investing in overseas aid and prioritising climate-resilient health, nutrition, and education services, to protect children from the increasing impacts of the climate crisis and ensure the future generation not only survive, but thrive.
Witnessing the scale of the issue today, the film star toured the UNICEF warehouse – the largest of its kind in the world – and met staff who have contributed to global emergency response efforts, delivering life-saving supplies to children in 81 countries in 2023**. This includes those impacted by conflict and climate emergencies around the world as intensifying droughts, floods, and storms continue to disrupt critical children’s health and education services and push already fragile countries to the brink. Globally, approximately 1 billion – nearly half of the world’s children – live in countries at high-risk of climate related crises.***
Pledging her support to the children’s organisation, Gemma also helped warehouse staff to pack crucial Community Health Worker Kits going to support children and families in Mozambique. A country heavily impacted by climate change, Mozambique continues to recover from Cyclone Freddy in 2023 and sees annual rainy seasons intensify, with children at risk of water-borne diseases and facing the largest cholera outbreak in the last 25 years.
During the visit, Gemma also connected with UNICEF Viet Nam’s Representative, Silvia Danailov to learn about the impact of Super Typhoon Yagi, which swept across Southeast Asia in September this year and was the strongest and most destructive storm in 70 years. Gemma heard how UNICEF is working to help the 2.6 million children caught up in the climate emergency, as crucial services including hundreds of health facilities were damaged and hundreds of thousands of children and pregnant women are left at risk of malnutrition and without safe drinking water.
UNICEF UK Ambassador, Gemma Chan, said: “It’s been an eye-opening and moving experience to witness the sheer scale of the operation here at UNICEF’s Supply Division and to see the dedication of staff making sure they reach children in every corner of the world. It’s reassuring to know UNICEF is there whenever disaster strikes, from a climate emergency like Typhoon Yagi to an outbreak of a deadly disease like cholera, but they can’t do it alone. Right now, the UK Government isn’t living up to its international obligation, cutting aid budgets and ultimately leaving children behind. But they have the power to make change for millions of children around the globe and save lives. The situation for children is only getting worse and we need to act fast, so please join me in supporting UNICEF UK today.”
Joanna Rea, Director for Advocacy for UNICEF UK, said: “Children’s lives and futures hang in the balance as the climate crisis threatens to be one of the greatest challenges of our time. UNICEF’s latest report clearly demonstrates that unless we deliver urgent action now, children will be the ones to face the dire consequences. The outcome of the recent budget has resulted in the aid budget reaching its lowest point in 17 years. The UK Government must lead with its values and invest in the lives of children, putting them first and protecting their futures now. Until they do, children will continue to suffer today and far into the future.”
The public is encouraged to join Gemma Chan and UNICEF UK’s campaign by signing an open letter calling on the UK Government to do more to protect the world’s children now and commit to a Global Growing Up Promise.
