The Oxford Martin Programme on

Climate and Child Health

The Challenge

Among the many effects of climate change, its impact on the health of children is poorly understood and all too often ignored. Yet children’s health and wellbeing are increasingly shaped by the climate crisis. Across Africa, droughts, floods and heatwaves are disrupting daily life, and through impacts as diverse as crop failure or disruptions to education, increasing risks of depression, early pregnancy and violence. By 2050 the continent will be home to one billion children, yet few policies directly address the impact of climate change on children and adolescents.

The Oxford Martin Programme on Climate and Child Health takes an innovative approach by linking climate science directly with child health and wellbeing. The programme is a partnership between the Oxford Martin School and Oxford Global Health, working with UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme and the World Meteorological Organization, alongside humanitarian agencies across Africa. Together they are generating evidence on how climate shocks affect children, identifying practical ways to strengthen resilience, and informing disaster planning and early warning systems. 

At the heart of the programme is interdisciplinarity. Climate scientists, psychiatrists, social policy experts and data specialists are collaborating with humanitarian practitioners to connect climate forecasts with child health outcomes and translate findings into real-world strategies.

Insights from the programme will help governments and agencies design child-focused responses to climate shocks. Guidance and tools will support frontline workers, while evidence on cost-effective approaches will demonstrate how investment in resilience delivers long-term benefits for health, education and development.

By combining research and practice, the Oxford Martin Programme on Climate and Child Health aims to safeguard children’s wellbeing and strengthen their futures in a changing climate.

people

Alan Bernstein

Director of Global Health and Visiting Professor of Global Health

Lucie Cluver

Professor of Child and Family Social Work

Seth Flaxman

Associate Professor

Neil Hart

Departmental Lecturer in Physical Geography and Career Development Fellow