BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 2. In the last seventeen years, children have only received 2.4 percent of the climate funding that came from vertical funds, UNICEF's Regional Advisor for Europe and Central Asia Maria Osbeck said at an event titled “High-level National Expert Dialogue on Climate Change and Children” at ADA University within the framework of the Baku Climate Action Week, Trend reports.
“In the grand scheme of things, over the last 17 years, a mere 2.4 percent of climate finance from vertical funds has trickled down to children. This is certainly a signal that the new target of climate finance should be child-friendly,” she noted.
Osbeck mentioned that, 160 million children in Europe and Central Asia, including those in EU countries, find themselves in a tight spot, facing the harsh winds of climate change with varying degrees of vulnerability.
“The environment and climate change are three of the five major risk factors for poor health in children under five,” she added.
The Climate Action Week runs from September 30 through October 4, 2024, in Baku for the first time.
The event will form the basis of the climate agenda ahead of COP29 in Baku in November. It brings together key stakeholders from a range of fields such as politics, finance, trade, investment, science, arts, culture, civil society, and media.
The first half of the week (from September 30 through October 2) focuses on climate solutions, involving government agencies, academia, and the private sector. The second half (October 3-4) will focus on science, education, arts, culture, and other sectors.
To note, in observance of Climate Week, a plethora of activities are planned across the city.
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