Abstract
This study examines the impact of climate change on children's health in Tajikistan, focusing on key indicators such as under-five mortality (U5M), infant mortality rate (IMR), and extreme weather conditions (EWC) by employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL), granger causality and impulse response Techniques using a time-series data from 1986 to 2023, the analysis explores the dynamic relationships between climate variables (CO2 emissions and extreme weather conditions), health outcomes (under five mortality and infant mortality), and economic performance (GDP). The ARDL and granger causality estimated result suggests that extreme weather conditions and CO2 emissions significantly aggravates under five and infant mortality rates, whereas economic growth reduces it. Also, results from the impulse response analysis highlights the detrimental effects of emissions and extreme weather on health, with GDP shocks improving life expectancy and reducing mortality. The study underscores Tajikistan's vulnerability to climate-induced health risks, particularly among children, due to its geographic and socioeconomic conditions. Policy recommendations include prioritizing investments in healthcare, enhancing climate resilience through sustainable development, and addressing the indirect effects of environmental degradation on health. This research contributes to understanding the health-environment nexus in vulnerable regions and provides insights for targeted interventions in Central Asia.