Climate change and child wellbeing: a systematic evidence and gap map on impacts, mitigation, and adaptation.

Naomi Saville, Anthony Costello, Audrey Prost, Sarah L Dalglish, Malak Mohamed, Saliqa Amin, Edward Lever, Angelina Montini, Komari Machida, Srivatsan Rajagopalan, Alice McGushin, Beth Jennings, Laelia Benoit, Nicola Walshe, Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson, Sarah Sterlini

Journal: The Lancet. Planetary health 2025;9(4):e337-e346

PMID: 40252680

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Abstract

We developed a systematic evidence and gap map (2014-24) to assess how climate change impacts, mitigation, and adaptation affect the wellbeing of children aged 0-18 years globally, and discussed findings with the Children in All Policies 2030 Youth Advisory Board. Health was the most researched child wellbeing domain (84%; 948 of 1127 studies), followed by education (15%; n=171), and food security and nutrition (14%; n=160). Research on children's agency and resilience, displacement, socioeconomic distress, and safety received less attention. Health research gaps included limited studies on vector-borne diseases, children's mental health beyond post-traumatic stress disorder, and health outcomes for children aged 5-18 years. Mitigation and adaptation research focused largely on educational (45%; 114 of 252 studies) and behavioural changes (31%; n=79), with gaps in the evaluation of financing, infrastructure, technology, clean energy, and policy actions. Youth advisory board members emphasised the importance of schools, social media, and intergenerational dialogue in driving climate action while protecting children's wellbeing.

Address: Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK; Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at St Mary's Hospital, London, UK; Children in All Policies 2030, Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.; Children in All Policies 2030, Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.; Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.; Yale School of Medicine, Yale Child Study, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations, Inserm, France.; Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK.; Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, UK.; Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(25)00061-0