The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has issued a new guidance, which mandates governments to take action towards protecting boys and girls in the face of the deepening climate crisis.

It also appealed to countries that have ratified the child rights convention to take immediate action towards phasing out fossil fuels and shifting to renewable energy sources, improving air quality, ensuring access to clean water, and protecting biodiversity.

Nigeria adopted the Child’s Right Act (CRA) in 2003 as a law to guarantee the rights of all children in the country. So far, 24 out of 36 states have domesticated the legislation.

The new guidance, referred to as General Comment No. 26, marks the first time the committee was affirming children’s right to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

It provides a comprehensive interpretation of state obligations under the United Nations convention, which has been ratified by 196 nations.

The 1989 treaty outlines children’s rights to life, health, clean drinking water, survival and development, among others. A general comment provides legal guidance on how children’s rights are impacted by a specific topic or area of legislation, with the latest addressing environmental rights with a special focus on climate change.

Speaking on the development, committee member, Philip Jaffé, submitted that children have been at the forefront of the fight against climate change, urging governments and corporations to take action to safeguard their lives and the future.

The General Comment explicitly addresses the climate emergency, collapse of biodiversity and pervasive pollution.

It specifies that states are responsible not only for protecting children’s rights from immediate harm, but also for foreseeable violations of their rights in the future due to action or inaction of today.

Furthermore, it underlines that states can be held accountable for environmental harm occurring both within their borders and beyond.