Climate Landscape Analysis for Children in Lesotho

Gender inequality, malnutrition, poor health and sanitation, and access to education, are some of the major barriers to children enjoying their full rights in Lesotho. Energy access and land degradation as well as climate change as a cross-cutting theme act to exacerbate these barriers, preventing particularly marginalised youth from accessing their rights. Moreover, while children and youth do not contribute significantly to climate change, they are disproportionately impacted by its effects. Children and youth are also key role-players in mitigating against and adapting to climate change

Lesotho is recognised as being highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, with energy access and land degradation acting as a cross-cutting theme. As such, applying a climate lens to the design of UNICEF programmes is critical in order to address the key barriers that undermine the development, human rights and survival of children in Lesotho, and to integrate these climate-related issues into the UNICEF 2022–2025 Strategic Plan.

Due to a combination of political, geographic, and social factors, Lesotho is recognised as highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, ranking 127 out of 181 countries in the 2020 ND-GAIN Index. Lesotho’s key economic sectors are highly vulnerable to climate variability and change, with climate change impacts already being experienced across the country in the form of extreme weather events, including droughts, increased rates of soil erosion and desertification, and reduced soil fertility.

In addition, the country is likely to become generally hotter and drier across projected future climates; and is projected to continue to experience extreme events such as droughts and floods and other climate-related hazards. Environmental degradation, decreasing quality and quantity of available water resources, and loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services constitute serious obstacles to the country’s continued development and poverty reduction efforts, increasing vulnerability, particularly of its most vulnerable populations, which include children.

With this in mind, OneWorld was contracted to undertake a climate, energy and environment landscape analysis for children (CLAC) for Lesotho and provide direction and recommendations on how to improve inclusion of climate, energy, and environment (CEE) actions into the country office programming. OneWorld collected, compiled, and reviewed key resources, gathered in-country information, and undertook a key-stakeholder analysis. In addition, OneWorld worked closely with the country office to identify and develop programming options and recommendations for the successful integration of CEE actions into the country programme cycle.