By the 2050s, eight times as many children around the world will be exposed to extreme heatwaves, and three times as many will experience river floods compared to the 2000s, according to the United Nations. The report also predicts that nearly twice as many children will face wildfires, with many more living through droughts and tropical cyclones.
Globally, more children will experience extreme climate and environmental crises in the 2050s, though the impacts will vary greatly by region. The most significant increases in children experiencing extreme heatwaves are expected in East and South Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, and North, West, and Central Africa. River floods are expected to affect children in these same regions, as well as East Africa and the Pacific.
The annual "State of the World's Children" report, released on World Children's Day (Wednesday), forecasts how the climate crisis, demographic shifts (with Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia projected to have the largest child populations by the 2050s), and emerging technologies will shape children's lives. The report also highlights how technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) will have both benefits and risks for children, who are already interacting with AI in apps, games, and learning tools. However, the digital divide remains stark: in 2024, almost 95% of people in high-income countries are connected to the internet, compared to only about 25% in low-income countries.
"Children are experiencing a myriad of crises, from climate shocks to online dangers, and these are set to intensify in the years to come," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. "The decisions world leaders make today – or fail to make – will define the world children inherit… Decades of progress, particularly for girls, are under threat."
The report emphasizes the significant impact of the climate crisis on children, nearly half of whom (around 1 billion) live in countries at high risk of environmental disasters. Even before birth, children's brains, lungs, and immune systems are vulnerable to pollution, disease, and extreme weather events. As they grow, their education, nutrition, safety, security, and mental health are all shaped by the environment.
The climate crisis also makes children more vulnerable to diseases. Rising temperatures have increased mosquito populations, raising the risks of diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika, and West Nile virus. Extreme weather events can disrupt children's access to a healthy diet, while tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, heatwaves, and earthquakes have been linked to various mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.
Air pollution, already a leading cause of death in children under five, was linked to 709,000 deaths in 2021, according to the 2024 State of Global Air report. The World Bank has also referred to the educational impacts of the climate crisis as an "economic timebomb," as climate shocks can severely disrupt children's education, causing school absences and widening learning gaps globally. Since 2022, over 400 million students worldwide have experienced school closures due to extreme weather.
"The world already knows what it needs to do to limit the worst impacts of climate change," Russell stated. "Youth leaders have been forceful – and rightly so – in urging national leaders to stick to their climate commitments. To ignore those calls is to betray the futures of children and young people. We cannot allow that to happen."