Climate change threatens Indigenous children’s health and wellbeing worldwide

Researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia, The University of Western Australia, and Flinders University reviewed evidence from 53 studies worldwide and found that Indigenous children were already experiencing a broad range of climate-related health impacts across diverse environmental, cultural and geographic settings.

Published in Globalization and Health, the study is the first to synthesise global evidence on how climate change is affecting Indigenous children's health and wellbeing.

Lead author Jaime Turnbull from The Kids said the review highlighted climate change as both an environmental and child-health issue, with Indigenous children facing unique and overlapping vulnerabilities.

"Importantly, these impacts do not occur in isolation. Climate change affects Indigenous children’s relationships with Country, culture, family and community, which are fundamental to their health and wellbeing," Ms Turnbull said.

The review identified six major climate-related exposure themes — heat stress, changing seasonal and oceanic patterns, hydroclimatic variability including floods and droughts, air pollution, climate-related disasters, and other climate-related environmental risks.

These exposures were linked to five main health outcomes — psychosocial and cultural wellbeing, malnutrition, infectious diseases, perinatal health, and morbidity and mortality.

The strongest and most consistent finding was the effect of climate change on psychosocial and cultural wellbeing. Across studies, environmental changes disrupted connections to land, cultural identity, language, and Traditional Knowledges and cultural practices, while contributing to stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief.

Co-author and Yamatji Elder Aunty Dr Mara West from The Kids said the findings reinforced the importance of understanding Indigenous health through a holistic lens.

"For Indigenous communities, health is deeply connected to culture, Country, family and community. When climate change affects the environment, it can also affect the cultural practices and relationships that help keep children strong and healthy," Dr West said.

"The findings underscore why Indigenous Knowledges and Indigenous leadership must be central to climate responses."

Rather than viewing Indigenous children solely as vulnerable to climate change, the researchers say young people should be recognised as important contributors to solutions.

The review found meaningful involvement of younger generations in Indigenous-led climate action can strengthen cultural identity, self-determination, intergenerational Knowledge transfer, and community resilience.

"Better outcomes start with Indigenous-led, child-centred action," Dr West said.

"Indigenous children and young people have an important role to play in shaping climate responses. Supporting their participation helps strengthen resilience today and for future generations."

Despite growing global concern about climate-related health impacts, co-authors UWA paediatrician Professor Peter Le Souef and Flinders ecologist Professor Corey Bradshaw said Indigenous children were underrepresented in climate-health research and almost half of the studies reviewed did not report findings specifically for Indigenous children. Existing evidence was concentrated in a few countries and communities.

 Co-author Dr Melinda Judge from The Kids and UWA’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics said addressing these gaps would require more geographically diverse research with meaningful involvement of Indigenous youth to support climate action that could strengthen cultural identity, self-determination, knowledge sharing and community resilience.

Ms Turnbull added that climate-health research and policy responses needed to reflect the realities, priorities and strengths of Indigenous children, families, and communities.

"Recognising Indigenous Peoples' sovereignty, Knowledges and lived experiences, and ensuring Indigenous communities genuinely lead and shape solutions, are essential if we are to achieve equitable and effective outcomes for children and families."

Access paper link here.