Millions of children exposed to extreme heat worldwide: UN

The UN stated on Tuesday that extreme heat worldwide has led to over half a billion children now experiencing twice as many days of intense heat each year, if not more, than their grandparents did. The UN warned of potentially fatal effects resulting from this increase in extreme heat.

The UN children's organisation UNICEF reported that one in five children, or about 466 million children, live in places that are experiencing "at least double the number of extremely hot days every year" compared to 60 years ago. This is due to the ongoing global warming trend.

Health Risks and Consequences

According to UNICEF advocacy chief Lily Caprani, "the bodies of young children are not like little adults, they have much more vulnerability to extreme heat," and she also warned AFP of the risks to expectant mothers.

Furthermore, when schools are forced to close due to extreme heat, which has already impacted at least 80 million children in 2024, children lose out on education.

UNICEF compared the 2020–2024 period's average temperatures to those of the 1960s and chose days that reached 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) as their benchmark.

It said that these hot days and methods of coping with extreme temperatures, such as air conditioning, impact the world.

Regional Vulnerabilities

With 123 million children, or 39% of all children in the region, experiencing temperatures of 95 degrees or above at least one third of the year with, children in West and Central Africa are the most vulnerable.

At the higher end, millions of people in Mali lack access to air conditioning, and blackouts can leave fans unused. More than 200 days of the year, temperatures can reach 95 degrees or higher.

Meanwhile, in Latin America, 48 million children face twice as many days with temperatures of 95 degrees or greater as they did 60 years ago.
Caprani stated that "the trajectory is getting worse and worse for these children" all across the world.

Children "are frail, and they breathe rapidly. They cannot even sweat like an adult. They are much more vulnerable to heat stress and it can be literally deadly," she continued.

UNICEF warned that high temperatures can contribute to child malnutrition and make children more vulnerable to diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, which proliferate in warm climes. Excessive heat can have a harmful impact on neurodevelopment and mental health.

UNICEF is advocating for enhanced parental education on the signs of heat stroke, improved medical personnel training, and investments in air conditioning in schools, where even when classes are not cancelled, hot circumstances can make learning difficult.

"As governments are currently drafting their national climate action plans, they can do so with the ambition and knowledge that today's children and future generations will have to live in the world they leave behind," Catherine Russell, the UNICEF chief, said in a statement. However, the larger drive is to combat climate change, which is caused by human usage of fossil fuels.

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