Triple climate threats affect nearly half the world’s children
15 June 2026
Climate and EnvironmentDrought, extreme heat and heatwaves are the most prevalent trio of hazards endangering millions of children globally, warned a newly released climate report by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
About 1.1 billion children now face at least three overlapping climate hazards, threatening their health, education and survival, according to the Children’s Climate Risk Report 2026.“The lives of children continue to be upended by the impact of heatwaves, wildfires, droughts and floods,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Half of the world’s children are now living with at least three overlapping climate threats shaping their daily lives.”Overlapping threatsFor the first time, the report revealed exactly where and how intense, multiple and overlapping climate threats are affecting children and the essential social services they rely on and how governments can take concrete actions to respond.Almost every child in the world faces at least one climate hazard while more than four million could face as many as six overlapping threats, warned the report, which used the latest available data to map children’s exposure to the eight most frequent climate threats, including coastal floods, droughts, extreme heat, fires, heatwaves, riverine floods and sand, dust and tropical storms.More than 296 million children are living in areas exposed to all three conditions, according to the findings. The second most common combination – drought, extreme heat and tropical storms – leaves more than 115 million children worldwide exposed to these overlapping threats.
