The state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister said these plans should include policies and initiatives to reduce poverty, improve healthcare access, and ensure nutritious diets for children as an initiative to tackle the root causes of climate change.
"This means looking closely at the impacts of climate change and engaging stakeholders to identify the best ways to promote environmental sustainability and protect the future of Sabah’s children," she said here on Friday . "In Sabah, we are already witnessing the effects. The increasing frequency of natural disasters such as floods and landslides is causing significant damage to our communities and infrastructure," she said.
She said if climate change was not addressed, not only the present generation would be affected but children and future generations would bear the brunt of its consequences. IDS Sabah chairman Datuk Adeline Leong said with the effects of climate change, the health and well-being of children and adults alike were affected by water-borne and airborne diseases, allergies and other health problems."I have witnessed poor children scavenging through piles of rubbish at dump sites searching for reusable materials – can you imagine their exposure to pollutants?" she asked.