UN Report Warns Climate Change Could Push Millions of Young People in Latin America Into Poverty by 2030
A new report from the United Nations has issued a stark warning about the impact of climate change on children and youth in Latin America. According to the findings, climate-related disruptions could drive millions of young people into poverty by 2030, threatening decades of social and economic progress in the region.
The report highlights how rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation are already straining livelihoods and essential services. Vulnerable communities, particularly those reliant on agriculture and informal labor, face the greatest risks. The UN notes that children and young people are disproportionately affected, as climate shocks worsen food insecurity, disrupt education, and undermine access to healthcare.
Even more concerning, the report cautions that this number could triple if countries fail to meet international climate targets and if adequate funding is not directed toward building resilience among the most vulnerable populations. Without urgent investment in adaptation strategies, millions more children could fall into cycles of poverty that are difficult to break.
The UN urged governments across Latin America to place children’s well-being at the center of climate policies, stressing that adaptation plans must include access to education, healthcare, social protection, and sustainable livelihoods. It also called on the international community to scale up financing, arguing that without robust global support, Latin American nations may struggle to protect their youngest citizens from the growing risks of climate change.
“Climate change is not only an environmental challenge—it is a child rights crisis,” the report emphasized, framing the issue as a moral responsibility to safeguard future generations.
As the region faces increasing floods, droughts, and storms, the UN’s message is clear: without bold action now, Latin America’s children may bear the heaviest burden of a crisis they did little to create.
