Physical Address
23,24,25 & 26, 2nd Floor, Software Technology Park India, Opp: Garware Stadium,MIDC, Chikalthana, Aurangabad, Maharashtra – 431001 India
By Aayushi Sharma
As climate change worsens, a staggering 40 million more children are expected to face the most acute effects of hunger by 2050. This could be due to failing crops, food shortages, and disrupted ecosystems. The escalation of climate change is pushing the malnutrition crisis into a more urgent realm.
The latest Goalkeepers Report, titled “A Race to Nourish a Warming World”, warns that millions of children will suffer from stunting and wasting, two of the gravest forms of malnutrition, unless immediate interventions are implemented.
The report estimates that 28 million more children will experience wasting by 2050, on top of those already affected by stunting. Wasting is a form of acute malnutrition where children have low weight for their height, often leading to severe health complications and increased mortality. Stunting, meanwhile, results from chronic undernutrition during the first 1,000 days of life, leading to impaired physical and cognitive development that lasts a lifetime. The malnutrition crisis will only intensify as climate change continues to affect agricultural productivity, disrupt food systems, and exacerbate poverty.
Climate Change’s Role in Worsening Malnutrition
The connection between climate change and malnutrition is becoming increasingly evident. Rising temperatures, unpredictable weather patterns, and more frequent natural disasters are all affecting the production and distribution of food, particularly in regions heavily reliant on agriculture. Droughts, floods, and extreme weather events destroy crops, deplete soil quality, and reduce livestock productivity, resulting in food shortages and skyrocketing prices for basic staples.
In many parts of the world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the climate crisis is disproportionately impacting children, who are already at high risk of malnutrition. According to the report, without swift and sustained action, these regions will see a sharp increase in child malnutrition rates, which could reverse decades of progress in reducing global hunger.
Bill Gates, co-chair of the foundation and lead author of the report, emphasised that malnutrition is the “world’s worst child health crisis,” and that climate change is worsening the situation. He noted that the world is facing more challenges than ever-rising debt, inflation, and conflicts—and that government budgets are stretched thin. Yet, Gates argued, addressing malnutrition and climate change must be a top priority, as failure will have catastrophic consequences for future generations. One of the most critical areas for investment is the *Child Nutrition Fund*, a new initiative aimed at coordinating donor financing for nutrition programs.
For example, advancements in dairy production are already producing two to three times more milk per cow, which could help prevent millions of cases of stunting by 2050. In countries like India, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, these innovations could prevent 109 million cases of stunting over the next few decades b. Similarly, fortifying everyday pantry staples with essential nutrients is an effective strategy. In Ethiopia, fortifying salt with iodine and folic acid is expected to reduce anaemia rates by 4%, potentially preventing up to 75% of deaths from neural tube defects. Fortifying bouillon cubes with iron in Nigeria could avert 16.6 million cases of anaemia and save up to 11,000 lives.
The Economic Toll of Malnutrition
In addition to the human cost, malnutrition imposes a severe economic burden on countries worldwide. According to the World Bank, undernutrition leads to a global productivity loss of $3 trillion annually. In low-income countries, this translates to a GDP loss of 3% to 16%, equivalent to the impact of a global financial crisis every year. For countries already struggling with poverty and economic instability, these losses are devastating.
References:
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/goalkeepers/report/2024-report
Photo by Khaled Akacha https://www.pexels.com/photo/kids-wearing-face-masks-5156792/
Banner Image: Photo by Humantra https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-photograph-of-children-on-a-street-13517429/
