UNICEF: Nearly all children face climate-related risks worldwide

GENEVA — The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a report published Tuesday that nearly every child in the world is exposed to at least one climate-related hazard. The report found 1.8 billion children at risk from drought and 1.2 billion from extreme heat waves, with children disproportionately affected by floods, drought, extreme heat and air pollution. The agency said 1.1 billion children live at the intersection of at least three climate risks. It identified 662 million children exposed to tropical storms, 337 million to riverine flooding, 33 million to coastal flooding and 1 billion to malaria risk. In 2024, the education of 242 million children across 85 countries was disrupted by climate hazards, according to the report. Somalia, Madagascar, Myanmar, Cambodia and Pakistan were listed as the countries where children face the highest risks. The report also said children in landlocked countries are disproportionately affected by drought, desertification, heat stress and flash floods. UNICEF Statistics Director Samantha Rohini Sambornam said children are exposed to multiple simultaneous hazards rather than a single threat. The agency called on governments to invest in infrastructure, adaptation capacity and disaster management to reduce the risks facing children.