Children Suffer the Most from the Effects of Climate Change in the Amazon

Climate change is transforming the daily lives of hundreds of families in the city of Tefe, in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. The 2023 and 2024 droughts the worst in the regions history left communities isolated, disrupted fishing and agriculture, and increased respiratory and intestinal illnesses, especially among children. In the village of Porto Praia de Baixo, little Sofia Emanuelle, 2, developed bronchiolitis after inhaling smoke from wildfires that filled the air during the drought. According to the Municipal Health Department, between September and December 2024, 258 medical visits were recorded for children aged 1 to 4 with symptoms such as cough, fever, and diarrhea. Floods, on the other hand, bring water contamination and interrupt recreation and schooling, harming child development. Experts warn that the physical and cognitive impacts during early childhood are long-lasting. "Children inhale more pollutants and have bodies that are more vulnerable to heat and malnutrition," said demographer Marcia Castro of Harvard University.