Almost half of children worldwide face at least three overlapping climate hazards, UNICEF warns

Exposure levels

UNICEF’s ‘Climate Risks for Children 2026’ report, released on Tuesday, cross-references where the world’s 2.4 billion children live with the geographic footprint of eight frequent climate shocks: coastal and river flooding, drought, tropical storms, heatwaves (at least three days above a country-specific threshold), extreme heat (any day above 35°C), wildfires, and sandstorms. The result is a layered map of exposure: almost all children (2.3 billion) face at least one hazard, 2 billion face at least two, and 1.1 billion (nearly half) are exposed to three or more overlapping threats. The number of children confronting three-plus hazards has grown significantly over the past 20 years, UNICEF warns.

Children are on the front lines of the impact of climate change.

Most common hazard combinations

The most widespread triple threat is drought, extreme heat, and heatwaves, affecting 296 million children. Nigeria accounts for 74 million of those, Pakistan 34 million, and India 32 million. The next most frequent combination (drought, extreme heat, and tropical storms) endangers more than 115 million children, though the report does not break down that figure by country. More than 4 million children are exposed to at least six hazards, and 123,000 (including 46,000 in Myanmar) face seven or more.

Hotspots in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

Tom Slaymaker, one of the report’s authors, told AFP that the data reveal “some hotspots,” concentrated “in sub-Saharan Africa and in parts of South Asia.” In Chad, over 95% of children are exposed to at least three hazards, one of the highest proportions globally, amid humanitarian crises with limited access to water, electricity, and food. In the Sahel, more than 4 million children face the combination of heatwaves, extreme heat, and sandstorms. Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan lead the list in absolute numbers of children affected by three or more hazards.

Children are exposed to these hazards everywhere, in poor countries as well as richer ones. But they are not equal before the risks.

High-income countries are not immune

In Italy, more than 6 million children are exposed to prolonged heatwaves and drought, though the country demonstrates how investment in climate adaptation can mitigate some risks. In Spain, 4.1 million children (54% of the child population) face at least three combined risks, with heatwaves affecting 6 million and drought 4.2 million. Slaymaker noted that vulnerability depends on access to basic services such as health, nutrition, water, education, and protection. The report is intended to help governments prepare for the worsening impacts of global warming.