UNICEF: 1 Billion Children Face Triple Climate Threats

More than one billion children worldwide are now exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards that threaten their health and survival, according to UNICEF’s Children’s Climate Risk Report 2026.

The report maps children’s exposure to eight major climate threats, including coastal floods, droughts, extreme heat, wildfires, heatwaves, riverine floods, sand and dust storms, and tropical storms. It finds that almost every child on the planet faces at least one of these hazards, while more than four million children face as many as six at the same time.

All children in 24 Small Island Developing States, including Haiti and other Caribbean neighbours, are exposed to tropical storms capable of overwhelming entire islands and knocking out essential services. Belize, sitting on the Caribbean coast with a history of hurricane exposure and flooding, faces many of the same climate risks.

Globally, the most widespread combination of hazards is drought, extreme heat, and heatwaves, affecting more than 296 million children. The second most common pairing adds tropical storms to that mix, leaving another 115 million children exposed.

Air pollution and malaria, both worsened by climate change, broaden the picture. Nearly every child on earth is affected by air pollution, while one billion face malaria risk.

UNICEF is calling on governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build climate-resilient schools and health facilities, and include children explicitly in national climate adaptation plans.