What is happening?

Across South America, climate shocks are devastating communities, particularly in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, as record-breaking droughts disrupt access to essential services. This ecological crisis has left children in dire conditions, stripped of their access to education, basic nutrition, and other life-sustaining resources as Amazon rivers reach unprecedented lows. These droughts represent an acute manifestation of the broader climate crisis, and they highlight the lived, global impact of climate-driven disruptions, notably concerning vulnerable populations such as children. 

In Brazil, prolonged drought conditions have already caused the closure of over 1,700 schools and made more than 760 healthcare centres inaccessible, impacting community health and learning environments. Colombia has seen river water levels drop by as much as 80%, resulting in the suspension of classes in over 130 schools. Peru faces similar challenges, with more than 50 healthcare centres becoming unreachable, while relentless wildfires fueled by extreme dryness spread, further diminishing biodiversity in 22 of the country’s 26 regions. The scope of these environmental changes poses significant threats to the Amazon’s ecological balance, directly affecting human and animal populations alike.

UNICEF estimates that as of November 7, 2024, more than 420,000 children in the Amazon region are experiencing severe water scarcity, leaving them acutely vulnerable to hunger, disease, and educational disruption. The Amazon’s river basins, once abundant with water, are now at historic lows. This depletion is especially catastrophic for families and communities who depend on rivers for essential transportation to reach food, water, fuel, medical aid, and schools. With minimal rainfall and extreme heat— also a consequence of ongoing climate change — the rivers of the world’s “wettest” region have retreated, isolating entire communities and severing critical transportation routes.

According to the UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, “for centuries the Amazon has been home to precious natural resources. 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”. Spanning nine countries, the Amazon rainforest is the Earth’s most diverse tropical ecosystem, but is now overshadowed by unprecedented environmental emergencies.

What is in it for you?

The droughts afflicting the Amazon are linked to the El Niño climate phenomenon, specifically the 2023–2024 El Niño, which describes the unusual warming of Pacific Ocean surface waters. The US space agency NASA’s Earth Observatory and the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that this warming alters the atmospheric circulation, causing the Pacific jet stream to shift southward and spread east, directly contributing to drought conditions in the Amazon. 

This case is an important example for readers to understand the severe and multifaceted  consequences of environmental challenges.. In Peru, the shutdown of schools has left children at heightened risk of exploitation, recruitment and abuse by non-state armed groups, a hazard stemming from the economic instability accompanying climate crises. Moreover, health conditions are deteriorating rapidly across the affected regions, with spikes in respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, malaria, and acute malnutrition among children under five. 

Nevertheless, there remain some sources for optimism as regional leaders take action against climate change. Brazil’s Environmental Minister Marina Silva stated it is possible to “confront climate change,” noting a 30% reduction in Amazonian deforestation over the 12 months ending in July 2024, the most significant reduction in nearly a decade. Colombia also reported a 36% decrease in deforestation rates in 2023. Similarly, policies and initiatives have been conducted to target water scarcity. Since 2019, Brazil has built over 47,106 wells, cisterns, simplified supply systems and desalination units to ease access to water in the most isolated rural communities. Peru in 2022 also constructed its first nature-based solutions (NbS) projects for preserving watersheds, and quickly expanded the projects on a national level. These achievements highlight the capacity of effective policy and international cooperation to yield meaningful results. Continued comprehensive climate adaptation and mitigation measures will be needed to offset the compounded impacts of climate change.

What happens next?

To address the most urgent needs in the affected areas, UNICEF estimates that around $10 million is needed in the upcoming months to aid communities most affected by the droughts in Brazil, Colombia and Peru. These funds will provide essential supplies, mobilisation of health brigades, and strengthen the resilience of community-based systems and local public services. Such funding is critical, yet it also underscores the broader need for sustained financial support and international cooperation in responding to crises caused by climate change.

Ahead of COP-29, UNICEF has called global leaders to prioritise four critical actions for children and young people impacted by climate change. These include a dramatic increase in climate financing for children; a guarantee that all Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) 3.0 (documents from each signatory in the Paris Agreement outlining their efforts to reduce emissions) are child sensitive and responsive; ensure that the COP-29 Cover Decision responds to the unique impact of climate change on children; and the empowerment of children worldwide to better represent the interests of future generations in climate decision-making at all levels. 

The Polis Team in London