A new report from World Vision finds New Zealand’s climate strategies are some of the worst in the world for addressing climate-related child hunger and malnutrition.

The Hungry Futures Index scores the climate strategies prepared under the Paris Agreement of more than 80 nations and ranks countries according to how well their climate policies address hunger as a primary impact of climate change.

New Zealand ranks near the bottom of the list (82 out of 84) for climate policy which considers child hunger, child malnutrition, and outlines plans to act on either of these issues.

World Vision’s Advocacy and Policy Research Advisor, Dr. Olivia Yates, says the findings show a serious gap in New Zealand’s climate policy.

"Ahead of COP30 in Brazil this week, this report highlights an alarming neglect in New Zealand’s climate policies. Our plans barely acknowledge the link between climate change and child hunger, let alone fund solutions.

"We know from very recent experience with Cyclone Gabrielle that extreme climate events can dramatically lower food production, push prices up, and disrupt supply. It’s imperative that our strategies recognise the impact the changing climate has on our food security and that the government adapts to recognise and respond to this," she says.

Food insecurity is a growing issue in New Zealand and has risen by 70% since 2015 [i] . It now affects around one in six New Zealanders and a quarter of all children [ii] . Globally, one-third of the world’s population, 2.6 billion people, cannot afford a healthy diet.

"There’s clearly a fragility in New Zealand’s food systems, which is even more apparent in the aftermath of extreme weather events. Meanwhile, globally the food system continues to fail billions of people, disproportionately affecting communities already living in poverty and those on the frontlines of the climate crisis, such as our neighbours in the Pacific," she says.

Dr Yates says while climate policies need to recognise the importance of hunger and malnutrition as a "side effect" of the climate crisis, they also need to prioritise children.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Paris Climate Agreement recognise children as "agents of change" and yet only 58% of climate plans reference children’s participation in climate decision-making.

"When children are invisible in data, budgets, and strategies, they become invisible in the solutions that will shape their lives.

"We are entering an age of hungry futures. Children are on the frontlines of the climate crisis and yet their needs and voices are almost invisible in the world’s climate blueprints. If governments fail to act now, hunger and malnutrition will rise dramatically, with devastating consequences for the next generation," Dr Yates says.

She says 2024 was the hottest year on record, with global temperatures surpassing 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels [iii] . Around one billion children are already living in areas at extremely high risk from climate-related threats, including air pollution, water scarcity, heat stress and disease [iv] .

World Vision is urging the New Zealand government and others attending COP30 to:

• Update their climate policies and adaptation plans to recognise child hunger and nutrition as core climate risks, with targets and budgets
• Priortise nutrition-smart and climate resilient food systems in New Zealand and in the climate finance we provide to our Pacific neighbours
• Ensure children can meaningfully participate in climate decision-making, with child-focused indicators and reporting.

Dr Yates says: "Without bold action, hunger and malnutrition could increase by 20% in the next 25 years due to climate change [v] . COP30 in Brazil must be a turning point."

Notes:

• Countries climate policies were analysed through their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) which outline each country’s commitments to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions under the Paris Agreement and their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) which detail how countries will adapt to the impacts of climate change and build resilience
• Child hunger is mentioned in just 18% of national climate plans, and child malnutrition in only 11%.
• Most countries, (67 or 80% of those assessed) fail to properly consider hunger and malnutrition for children and adults alike.
• Countries with high rates of food insecurity were more likely to include these issues in their climate plans.
• The Paris Agreement specifically refers to children as agents of change in climate action, but only 58% (n=49) of NDCs mention how children were involved in their design and implementation processes.
• Just two countries (Chad & Cambodia) made a full commitment to child participation
• The full data set and methodology can be found at wvi.org/hungry-futures-index

[i] According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity in the Population (%), cited by The World Bank Group, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SN.ITK.MSFI.ZS.

[ii] The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit, Ending Food Insecurity: What Needs to Be Done Now (Wellington: The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit, September 2025).

[iii] World Meteorological Organization. (2025). ‘WMO confirms 2024 as warmest year on record at about 1.55°C above pre-industrial level’. https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/wmo-confirms-2024-warmest-year-record-about-155degc-above-pre-industrial-level

[iv] [iv] UNICEF. (2023). The climate-changed child. https://www.unicef.org/reports/climate-changed-child

[v] World Food Programme. (2024). Climate crisis and malnutrition: A case for acting now. https://www.wfp.org/publications/climate-crisis-and-malnutrition-case-acting-now

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