According to Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF, "Nearly 10 million children under age five die every year of largely preventable diseases. Many of the main global killers of children, including malaria and diarrhea, are sensitive to changes in temperature and rainfall, and could become more common if weather patterns change."
Veneman added that women and children tend to be disproportionately affected by hurricanes and flooding, which according to experts, will increase in intensity and frequency in the coming years. Moreover, natural disasters destroy homes, schools and health centers and consequently reduce services available to families.
Climate change experts also predict that warming and shifting rains could impact crop production, which could reduce food availability. In 2006, around 36 percent of children worldwide were either moderately or severely underweight.
Based on last year's report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), malnutrition and associated disorders, including those relating to child growth and development, could increase as the global climate changes.
