JUBA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- For 17-year-old Siama Santino, attending school in flood-stricken South Sudan often means taking off her shoes and wading through deep water just to reach her classroom.
"Every morning when you wake up, you have to think of how much you are going to move in water or first remove your shoes to reach school," Siama told Xinhua in a recent interview in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
Santino is not alone. Across this country, worsening climate conditions, including severe flooding, drought and extreme heat, increasingly threaten education, food security and public health.
As global leaders prepare for the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, from Nov. 9 to 20, young climate advocates in South Sudan are urging national authorities and international partners to turn high-level pledges into practical protection for vulnerable communities.
At an event about climate conditions in Juba organized by Save the Children in South Sudan and the country's Ministry of Environment and Forestry, young delegates demanded climate-resilient school infrastructure, upgraded early warning systems and direct relief for disaster-affected families.
Amoko Ronny, an 18-year-old student and children's council representative, highlighted how climate shocks exacerbate poverty.
He noted that extreme heat forced local children out of classrooms for two weeks in 2024, while recurring floods destroyed crops, compounding severe food shortages and leaving many families unable to afford basic meals.
"Children must be the top priority," Ronny said, calling for greater investment in climate education, resilient school infrastructure and early warning systems to help children and communities get prepared for disasters.
He also urged the government and civil society organizations to invest in sustainable agriculture and promote clean energy, emphasizing the need for practical alternatives to reduce reliance on charcoal and curb environmental degradation.
For Siama, effective adaptation requires empowering families with a clearer understanding of climate risks.
She called for expanded climate education, emergency preparedness training and targeted humanitarian aid for households displaced by flooding and other climate disasters, and urged the world leaders to prioritize immediate action over unfulfilled promises.
Eva Hegedus, director of strategic partnerships and influence at Save the Children in South Sudan, noted that the climate crisis impacts education far beyond physical structural damage.
"Climate-related disasters interrupt learning while simultaneously undermining children's nutrition, healthcare, protection and psycho-social well-being," Hegedus said.
To address these compounding threats, Hegedus called for embedding climate resilience into national adaptation plans, education frameworks and school preparedness protocols.
She stressed that educators, students and administrators must be equipped to ensure safe, continuous learning during disasters alongside targeted investments to construct and rebuild climate-resilient school facilities.
At the state level, climate adaptation and access to international climate finance remain central priorities for South Sudan ahead of COP31.
Payai Manyok John, director for climate change and the national focal person for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, emphasized that South Sudan is pressing developed nations to expand funding for vulnerable states.
"We want to make sure that developed countries increase climate finance for the least developed countries, particularly for South Sudan and other highly vulnerable nations," Manyok said.
He noted that the government has established national climate frameworks covering both adaptation and mitigation, with a heavy focus on building resilience for smallholder farmers.
The ministry is collaborating with international partners to secure funding for climate adaptation projects, targeting small-scale agriculture and nature-based solutions in Jonglei and Unity states, alongside direct aid for flood-affected communities.
Additionally, the government is upgrading its early warning capabilities by modernizing the national meteorological department and expanding climate information sharing through media and civic networks.
Timely forecasts and practical support are vital for flood-prone regions, Manyok added, stressing that climate policies must account for the distinct needs of farmers, pastoralists and water-dependent communities.
"Whatever negotiation that has come here has to be put into policies and also translated from policies to projects," Manyok said.
For South Sudan's young advocates, the central goal is ensuring that climate policies and international commitments translate into tangible outcomes: safer classrooms, fewer learning disruptions and stronger protections for families on the frontlines of extreme weather.
As COP31 approaches, their calls underscore an urgent priority, placing children's education and well-being at the heart of climate adaptation strategies, especially in communities where severe flooding and extreme heat already threaten daily life.
