Unicef has issued a stark warning that more than one billion children worldwide are exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards, emphasizing that the burden of these environmental crises is distributed disproportionately across the globe.
To compile the report, the UN agency mapped the locations of the world’s 2.4 billion children against the distribution of eight primary climate impacts: coastal flooding, river flooding, drought, tropical storms, heat waves, extreme heat, wildfires, and sandstorms.
The findings highlight that 1.1 billion children are exposed to three or more risks. The most frequent combination is drought, heat waves, and extreme heat (exceeding 35 degrees Celsius), a combination that affects approximately 296 million children—including 74 million in Nigeria, 34 million in Pakistan, and 32 million in India.
The report notes a sharp increase in the number of children facing multiple hazards over the last two decades. Nearly every child on the planet—approximately 2.3 billion—is exposed to at least one risk, while two billion face two or more, and 364 million are exposed to at least four.
In extreme cases, 123,000 children are exposed to seven or more hazards, with 46,000 of those located in Myanmar. “Children are at the forefront of the impact of climate change,” stated Unicef chief Catherine Russell.
Report author Tom Slaymaker told AFP that while there is no single “worst” place for a child, the risks are heavily concentrated in specific “hot spots,” particularly within Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia.
Heightened Vulnerability in Chad and Sub-Saharan Africa
While nations with large child populations—such as India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Bangladesh—record the highest total numbers of affected children, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Sahel region in particular, face the highest proportions of exposure. These impacts are frequently worsened by limited governmental capacity to manage climate crises.
In Chad, where a humanitarian crisis has restricted access to food, electricity, and water, more than 95 percent of children are exposed to at least three hazards, marking one of the highest percentages globally.
The report also identifies 39 island states as particularly vulnerable due to their dependence on imports, limited freshwater supplies, and the lack of safe relocation options following disasters like hurricanes.
Slaymaker noted that while some populations, particularly in Scandinavia and other parts of the Northern Hemisphere, may appear less exposed according to the report’s eight primary metrics, this does not mean they are spared. He stressed that children in those regions may face different threats, such as thawing permafrost or melting glaciers, which fell outside the scope of this specific study.
