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Children are exposed to serious health risks from
environmental hazards. Over 40% of the global burden of disease attributed to
environmental factors falls on children below five years of age, who account
for only about 10% of the world's population. Environmental risk factors
often act in concert, and their effects are exacerbated by adverse social and
economic conditions, particularly conflict, poverty and malnutrition. There
is new knowledge about the special susceptibility of children to
environmental risks: action needs to be taken to allow them to grow up and
develop in good health, and to contribute to economic and social development.
See the recent IFCS report "Chemical
Safety and Children's Health - Protecting the world's children from harmful
chemicals exposures: a global guide to resources"
Indoor air pollution
 More
than two billion people worldwide continue to depend on solid fuels,
including biomass fuels (wood, dung, agricultural residues) and coal, for
their energy needs.
Cooking and heating with solid fuels on open fires or
traditional stoves results in high levels of indoor air pollution. Indoor
smoke contains a range of health-damaging pollutants, such as small particles
and carbon monoxide, and particulate pollution levels may be 20 times higher
than accepted guideline values.
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