Nearly every child on earth is now exposed to at least one climate hazard, with 1.1 billion children — nearly half of the world's child population — facing at least three overlapping threats, according to a landmark UNICEF report released this week. The Children's Climate Risk Report 2026 provides the most detailed global picture to date of where children face the greatest climate risks, mapping exposure to eight climate hazards: coastal floods, droughts, extreme heat, fires, heatwaves, riverine floods, sand and dust storms, and tropical storms.
The report warns of a 'dangerous cascade of multiple, overlapping hazards' that could overwhelm governments and social services. 'It's not just the exposure to the single hazards like floods or droughts or heat waves and extreme heat that children face, but it is the exposure to multiple hazards,' said Rohini Sampoornam Swaminathan, UNICEF statistics manager and one of the report's authors.
Drought, Heatwaves and Extreme Heat Dominate Threats
Drought is the most widespread hazard, with more than three quarters of all children globally — 1.8 billion — exposed to agricultural or meteorological droughts that threaten food security, nutrition and livelihoods. Nearly two in three children worldwide — 1.5 billion — are exposed to heatwaves that are becoming more frequent, longer-lasting or more severe, while 1.2 billion children face extreme heat conditions.
Drought, extreme heat and heatwaves are the most prevalent combination of hazards, with over 296 million children living in areas exposed to all three conditions. The second most common combination — drought, extreme heat and tropical storms — affects more than 115 million children worldwide.
Floods, Storms and Additional Health Risks
Nearly one in seven children — around 337 million — live in areas affected by riverine flooding, while 33 million are exposed to coastal floods. A further 662 million children live in areas exposed to tropical storms, where intense rainfall and high winds disrupt homes, schools and health services.
Beyond these eight hazards, the report analyses children's exposure to air pollution and malaria — two risks highly sensitive to climate change. Air pollution affects nearly every child globally, while 1 billion children are exposed to malaria, adding another layer of danger for those already facing multiple climate hazards. An estimated 2.3 billion children — almost all children worldwide — live in areas where air pollutants are detectable.
Regional Hotspots and Vulnerability
In the Sahel region of Africa, more than 4 million children face the triple threat of heatwaves, extreme heat and sand and dust storms. Countries across Asia — including Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan — expose children to more climate hazards at once and at a higher intensity than anywhere else in the world.
High-income countries are not immune. In Italy, more than 6 million children are exposed to prolonged heatwaves and drought. However, the report notes that investment in climate adaptation can mitigate some risks.
Children in landlocked and fragile countries such as the Central African Republic and Chad face overlapping climate hazards while also lacking access to basic services, making it much harder for them to cope and recover. Meanwhile, all children in 24 Small Island Developing States — from Haiti to Vanuatu — are exposed to tropical storms, which can disrupt entire islands at once and overwhelm essential services.
School Disruptions and Most Vulnerable Countries
In 2024, 242 million children in 85 countries saw their schooling disrupted by climate hazards. UNICEF identified Somalia, Madagascar, Myanmar, Cambodia and Pakistan as the most vulnerable countries. The highest numbers of drought-exposed children live in agriculture-dependent economies including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Tanzania. Children in landlocked nations face disproportionate risks of drought, desertification, heat stress and flash floods, with water stress set to intensify in countries like Botswana and Burkina Faso.
UNICEF's Call to Action
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said: 'The lives of children continue to be upended by the impact of heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, and floods. Half of the world's children are now living with at least three overlapping climate threats shaping their daily lives.'
Without urgent efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, climate hazards will grow more frequent and severe, placing even greater strain on government budgets and systems and threatening children's well-being. UNICEF is calling on governments, businesses and relevant actors to reduce emissions and take concrete actions to build climate-resilient schools, health facilities and social services — and to include children explicitly in national climate adaptation plans.
