Grow the Future aims to change the world by giving children affected by climate change the tools to adapt, a voice to engage and innovations to transform.
The initiative was created based on a strong conviction that those most affected by climate change must play an active role in crafting its solutions. Grow the Future seeks to empower children impacted by climate change by educating them about its causes, offering them a platform to advocate for change within their communities and on the global stage, and providing innovative solutions tailored to their unique needs.
Grow the Future is an adventurous exploration of the Earth’s climate challenges and the paths to resolve them, empowering children, their families, and their communities to become champions of positive change. Imagine a world where children are not mere bystanders in the face of climate adversity but are active participants in shaping a sustainable future. Grow the Future is dedicated to making that vision a reality.
The climate crisis is not just an environmental challenge – it’s a “child rights crisis.” According to UNICEF (2021), nearly half of the world’s young population lives in areas exposed to overlapping climate hazards, putting their access to essential services like education, healthcare, and nutrition at risk. While children are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, they also have the unique potential to drive the transformative change that the world desperately needs.
As global temperatures rise, children face the imminent threat of displacement due to sea level rise, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation. This forced uprooting not only endangers their physical well-being but also threatens their psychological and emotional health, as they loose ties to their communities, cultures, and histories. Without urgent action, we risk a future in which over a billion people—many of them children—become climate refugees by 2074, igniting a cascade of social and economic crises that will hit the youngest hardest.
Children will face the trauma of losing their homes to rising sea levels, extreme weather, and environmental degradation. This displacement will sever ties to their communities, cultures, and heritage, causing profound distress. Without action, the climate crisis could displace over a billion people by 2074, many of them children, leading to severe social and economic challenges. Health risks for displaced children, including malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and limited healthcare access, will also increase, impacting the youngest and most vulnerable.
436 million children are facing the double burden of high or very high water scarcity and low or very low drinking water service levels – known as extreme water vulnerability. Poor water quality, lack of access to clean water, and inadequate sanitation is a key driver of deaths among children under 5 from preventable diseases.
Climate-induced displacement will disrupt children’s education, with many forced to abandon schools. The lack of a stable educational environment will limit their ability to acquire essential skills, compounding the cycle of poverty and reducing their future prospects.
The World Health Organization warns that climate change will exacerbate health risks, with children being particularly vulnerable to malnutrition, infectious and water-related diseases, and respiratory conditions.
Displaced children are at heightened risk of exploitation, including human trafficking, forced labour, and child marriage. The instability and chaos of displacement create fertile ground for such abuses.
Join us in this vital mission to empower children, protect our planet, and ensure a brighter future for generations to come. We remain committed to agility and adaptability, prepared to seize opportunities alongside partners who choose to collaborate with us and supporters dedicated to our efforts. Join us at your preferred partnership level – Amplifying Partner, Solution Partner, or Funding Partner.
