Half the World's Children Face Overlapping Climate Hazards at Once

UNICEF's 2026 Children's Climate Risk Report reveals nearly 500 million children simultaneously exposed to three or more climate stressors—drought, extreme heat, and heatwaves most common. One billion children face severe climate risks overall. The finding shifts how experts assess child vulnerability: rather than counting single threats, researchers now examine how multiple hazards compound, affecting developing bodies in ways single hazards cannot.