Climate change disproportionately harms children, UNICEF warns

Nearly half of the world's children, approximately 1.1 billion, face severe threats from at least three simultaneous climate-related dangers, according to a new report by the UN children's agency, UNICEF. The "Children's Climate Risk Report 2026" warns that the climate crisis disproportionately affects children, jeopardizing their health, education, and survival.

The report identifies key climate hazards including droughts, extreme temperatures, wildfires, heatwaves, coastal and river flooding, sand and dust storms, and tropical cyclones. It emphasizes that in many regions, these risks overlap and intensify each other. The most frequent combination of threats involves droughts, extreme heat, and heatwaves, which put nearly 300 million children in vulnerable areas.

Children are inherently more susceptible to the impacts of climate change than adults. Their bodies heat up faster and sweat less efficiently, making them more prone to heat-related illnesses. They also breathe more rapidly, inhaling a greater proportion of airborne pollutants. Furthermore, children require more food and water relative to their body weight, and their chances of survival during extreme weather events are lower.

UNICEF's Climate Risk Atlas maps the intensity and location of various climate risks globally. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that the atlas can assist governments and decision-makers in planning and investing more effectively in support structures. While children in Germany are noted as having good basic care in areas like health, the report underscores the widespread global vulnerability.