New york: Nearly half of the world's children, or 1.1 billion, are now exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards, threatening their health, education, and survival, according to a new UNICEF report launched on Tuesday. Almost every child in the world faces at least one climate hazard, while more than 4 million could face as many as six overlapping threats, the report warned.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Children's Climate Risk Report 2026 uses the latest available data to map children's exposure to the eight most frequent climate threats, including coastal floods, droughts, extreme heat, fires, heatwaves, riverine floods, sand and dust storms, and tropical storms. For the first time, the report reveals exactly where-and how intense-multiple and overlapping climate threats are affecting children and the essential social services they rely on, and how governments can take concrete actions to respond.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell highlighted, 'The lives of children continue to be upended by the impact of heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, and floods. Half of the world's children are now living with at least three overlapping climate threats shaping their daily lives.' Drought, extreme heat, and heatwaves are the most widespread combination of climate hazards, with over 296 million children living in areas exposed to all three conditions. The second most common combination-drought, extreme heat, and tropical storms-leaves more than 115 million children worldwide exposed to these overlapping threats.
In the Sahel region of Africa, more than 4 million children face the triple threat of heatwaves, extreme heat, and sand and dust storms. In countries across Asia, such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Pakistan, children are exposed to more climate hazards at once and at a higher intensity than anywhere else in the world. High-income countries are not immune; in Italy, more than 6 million children are exposed to prolonged heatwaves and drought, showing how investment in climate change adaptation can mitigate some risks children face while highlighting the need for further action as the climate crisis intensifies.
The report also analyses children's exposure to air pollution and malaria, two risks highly sensitive to climate change effects. Data show that air pollution affects nearly every child globally, while 1 billion children are exposed to malaria, adding another layer of danger for those already facing multiple climate hazards. The report presents a framework for analyzing the different types of risks children face, based on their exposure to climate shocks and vulnerability, which is determined by access to essential social services such as healthcare, clean water, and education.
The approach can be applied in different ways, from looking at risks related to individual or multiple climate hazards to examining risks across sectors, revealing the threats children face across different contexts. For example, children in landlocked and fragile countries like the Central African Republic or Chad face overlapping climate hazards while lacking access to basic services, making it much harder for them to cope and recover. Meanwhile, all children in 24 Small Island Developing States, including from Haiti to Vanuatu, are exposed to tropical storms, which can disrupt entire islands at once and overwhelm essential services.
Without urgent efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, climate hazards will become more frequent and severe, placing even greater strain on government budgets and systems and threatening children's well-being, the report warns. To protect children's rights from climate threats and adapt to growing environmental changes, UNICEF is calling on governments, businesses, and other relevant actors to reduce emissions, grounded in the best available science, including the urgent phasing out of fossil fuels and a just transition to renewable energy.
The UN body also called for the protection of children through inclusive climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and responses to loss and damage that prioritize the resilience of social services. It urged countries to empower children and young people to meaningfully participate in climate action by investing in climate education, knowledge, and skills, and by strengthening the capacity of decision-makers and experts to respect children's rights to be heard, freedom of expression, and participation in decisions that affect their lives.
Catherine Russell emphasized, 'This analysis can help governments and decision-makers plan better and invest more effectively in resilient services. When we strengthen health and education systems, and improve infrastructure with children in mind, we protect them from today's climate threats and help secure their future.'
