TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A consultant for the Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC) in Indonesia, Perdinan, stated that the latest report from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) shows that climate disasters impact children not only physically, but also mentally. The effects of climate change on the lives of the younger generation are outlined in the report titled Children's Climate Risk Report 2026. "Children do not face climate risks in isolation," he told Tempo on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Perdinan, who also serves as a chief lecturer in the Department of Geophysics and Meteorology at IPB University, noted that children confront extreme heat, floods, drought, deteriorating water quality, air pollution, infectious diseases, and food security disruptions in close proximity or even simultaneously. These climate events do not hit in isolation; they systematically disrupt children's health, nutrition, access to clean water, disaster safety, and learning capabilities.
He further explained that children's vulnerability to climate change varies across regions. In densely populated Java, children are susceptible to floods, urban heat, air pollution, and diseases like dengue. In the Nusa Tenggara region, the most prominent threats manifest as drought, clean water scarcity, crop failures, and nutritional challenges. Meanwhile, in coastal zones and small island ecosystems, the dangers revolve around rising sea levels, tidal flooding, saltwater intrusion, and freshwater depletion.
Beyond direct physical hazards, many children are affected by socio-economic vulnerabilities, compounded by the strain placed on basic public services under climate pressures. "The climate crisis for children is not just an environmental issue, but a matter of rights and human development," Perdinan stressed.
The climate crisis also directly threatens daily food security. Shifting temperatures, rainfall patterns, volatile seasons, and extreme weather events are increasingly disrupting the production of rice, horticulture, livestock, and fisheries. These negative impacts lead to yield reductions and spiking food prices, alongside disruptions in supply distribution.
In tropical nations like Indonesia, changes in temperature, rainfall, waterlogging, and humidity directly accelerate the life cycles of mosquitoes carrying dengue and malaria. Concurrently, droughts trigger widespread forest and land fires, which worsen air pollution and spike acute respiratory tract infections among children.
As highlighted in Tempo’s premium investigative report, "Bagaimana Krisis Alam Merenggut Masa Depan Anak," UNICEF notes that an estimated 2.3 billion children worldwide are exposed to at least one major climate threat. In the report's detailed findings, approximately 4 million children are documented to be grappling with up to six climate hazards simultaneously.
In this assessment, the global agency analyzed 10 threats linked to climate change. Beyond physical disasters like floods and storms, UNICEF also integrated malaria and air pollution into the matrix due to their acute sensitivity to climate shifts. The scale of these hazards is immense, with meteorological and agricultural droughts currently impacting 1.8 billion children globally.
Enos Ndapareda, the Humanitarian Manager at Plan Indonesia, said his organization is advocating for the inclusion of young people, particularly girls, in various climate actions. Plan Indonesia is also spearheading educational initiatives to help teenagers better comprehend the impacts of climate change. "This way, they can participate in designing actions at the community level and share their perspectives at regional development planning forums," Enos told Tempo.
Currently, Plan Indonesia's structured mentoring programs are underway in several districts across East Nusa Tenggara, specifically in South Central Timor, Nagekeo, Lembata, and Manggarai. The organization has also begun expanding its climate action initiatives to North Jakarta, West Jakarta, and East Jakarta, areas that face perennial urban flooding threats.
According to Enos, Plan Indonesia focuses on mentoring the 15 to 24-year-old age group through training and support for community actions. "For the younger age group, we convey this campaign to their parents," he said.
Read: No Extreme Drought This Year, Will Super El Nino Hit Indonesia in 2027?
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