CHILDREN growing up in the Middle East are increasingly affected by climate change, and are exposed to heatwaves, dust storms, droughts, and floods, a new report from World Vision says. Thirty-nine per cent of children in this area who had to leave their home did so because of climate change rather than conflict, researchers said. Children are frequently the “blind spot” in most countries’ climate policies, it says. Research took place in five climate hotspots in the Middle East: Nineveh, in Iraq; Azraq Refugee Camp, in Jordan; Akkar, in Lebanon; north-eastern Syria; and the West Bank. Researchers focused on the effect of climate change on vulnerable communities, and children’s mental health, protection, and education.

Source: The Times November 29, 2023 00:17 UTC