Over A Billion Children Face Three or More Climate Hazards: UNICEF

A new report by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund revealed that more than 1 billion children worldwide are exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards, while nearly every child on the planet faces at least one climate-related threat.

The report titled "Children's Climate Risk Report 2026” found that rising temperatures, floods, droughts, storms and other climate-related hazards are increasingly undermining children's health, education, nutrition and protection.

"Children are experiencing extreme heat that causes heatstroke and dehydration. Their homes and schools are being destroyed by storms and floods. Devastating droughts are limiting their access to food and water. And in many cases, the intensity of these hazards is increasing with each passing year," said Catherine Russell Executive Director at UNICEF.

Almost All Children Are Exposed to At Least One Climate Hazard

According to the report, almost all of the world's 2.3 billion children are exposed to at least one climate hazard. Around 2 billion children are exposed to at least two hazards, while 364 million face at least four overlapping climate threats.

Among individual hazards, droughts affect the largest number of children globally, exposing 1.8 billion children. Heat-related risks are also widespread, with 1.5 billion children exposed to increasingly frequent, prolonged or severe heatwaves and 1.2 billion exposed to extreme heat. An estimated 662 million children are exposed to tropical storms, 337 million to riverine floods, and 206 million to severe fires.

The report highlighted that climate risks rarely occur in isolation. Droughts can destroy crops and intensify food insecurity, while dried vegetation increases the likelihood of wildfires. These events can then worsen air pollution and leave landscapes vulnerable to flooding, creating cascading impacts that overwhelm communities and public services.

The report stated that children are disproportionately affected by the consequences of climate hazards, as their developing bodies make it harder for them to cope with the physical and psychological stresses.

Climate Change is Affecting Essential Social Services

The report's analysis showed that climate change is placing growing pressure on essential social services. In 2024 alone, at least 242 million students in 85 countries experienced disruptions to their education because of climate-related events. Climate shocks are also affecting health systems, nutrition services, water supplies, and child protection mechanisms.

The report warned that climate-related displacement is becoming an increasingly significant challenge. Between 2016 and 2023, climate hazards triggered 62.1 million internal displacements of children globally equivalent to more than 21,000 child displacements every day.

Children in highly populated countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nigeria accounted for some of the largest numbers of those exposed to multiple climate hazards. The report identified India among countries with particularly high exposure to intense, overlapping climate risks because of its large child population and widespread climate vulnerability.

The report estimated that around 550 million children were exposed in 2024 to additional extremely hot days that were directly attributable to human-induced climate change. Rising temperatures are increasing the risks of heat stress, dehydration, poor sleep, learning disruptions, and adverse health outcomes for children and pregnant women.

Way Forward

The report mapped children's exposure to climate hazards at unprecedented resolution using a Global Child Hazard Database. It said the data can help governments identify hotspots of child vulnerability, target climate adaptation investments, and strengthen disaster preparedness measures.

The report has also urged governments to accelerate emissions reductions, phase out fossil fuels in line with the 1.5°C goal, strengthen climate-resilient social services, and ensure children's voices are included in climate decision-making.