Poor children main victims of climate change: UN

Millions of the world's poorest children are among the principal victims of climate change caused by the rich developed world, a United Nations report said yesterday, calling for urgent action.

The UNICEF report "Our Climate, Our Children, Our Responsibility" measured action on targets set in the UN Millennium Development Goals, aimed at halving child poverty by 2015. It found failure on counts from health to survival, education and gender equality.

"It is clear that a failure to address climate change is a failure to protect children," said UNICEF UK director David Bull. "Those who have contributed least to climate change - the world's poorest children - are suffering the most."