Are the world's fastest-growing cities thinking about young children in their climate plans?

Findings from a Review of Climate Action Plans of the Predicted Ten Most Populous Cities in 2100

The 10 cities that are projected to have the largest population in 2100 are entirely in the Majority World—from Lagos, Nigeria, to Mumbai, India. Climate change is a particular threat to all these cities, even though their respective countries contribute less than 10% of the share of worldwide CO2 emissions combined. High fertility rates mean children will make up a growing share of the population. How are the world's fastest-growing cities meeting the needs of their youngest residents in adapting to climate change? 

In March 2023, Capita hosted a convening in Stellenbosch, South Africa, to examine the latest thinking on how to ensure that young children are at the heart of efforts on climate change adaptation and resilience efforts in cities around the world. To support the event, our partners at Openfields examined 8 city climate action plans (Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, Delhi, Khartoum, Kinshasa, Kolkata, Lagos, and Mumbai), and three country action plans (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Niger) to see if and how they center children in their planning for climate change.