https://www.unicef.org/reports/childrens-climate-risk-report-2026
Climate hazards have always occurred naturally, but human-induced global warming is changing much of the world as we know it.
Children are disproportionately affected by the consequences of these changes, as their developing bodies make it harder for them to cope with physical and psychological stresses. With climate shocks on the rise, more children are also facing displacement and instability, increasing their vulnerability.
But while the climate crisis is a global phenomenon, its effects aren’t felt equally. Without identifying who the most vulnerable children are, where they live and how they are affected by climate-related impacts, it’s nearly impossible to develop practical and effective solutions for adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
UNICEF’s Children’s Climate Risk Report 2026 reveals how children’s exposure to multiple, overlapping climate hazards, inherent physical vulnerabilities, and the gaps in the social services they rely on, undermines their rights and increases their risk of harm.
What is the Children’s Climate Risk Report 2026?
The Children’s Climate Risk Report 2026 is an important milestone in understanding how climate-related hazards are affecting children. Through new data from the UNICEF Global Child Hazard Database, we can now see where children are exposed to a variety of hazards in unprecedented detail. Combined with data on existing social service access and capacities, governments can map where children are most at risk to climate-related shocks and stresses.
The report uses the latest available data to map children’s exposure to the most frequent climate-related threats. For the first time, the report reveals exactly where – and how intensely – multiple and overlapping climate threats are threatening children and overwhelming essential social services. It also notes how governments can take concrete actions to respond.
>> Visit UNICEF Data for more information
How many children are now exposed to climate hazards?
Almost all children are now exposed to at least one of the following climate hazards: Coastal floods, drought, extreme heat, fire, heatwaves, riverine floods, sand and dust storms, and tropical storms. Nearly half of the world’s children – 1.1 billion children – are at risk from at least three overlapping climate hazards, threatening their health, education, and survival. More than 4 million children face as many as six overlapping threats. The report also looks at children’s exposure to climate-sensitive hazards such as air pollution and vector-borne diseases like malaria.
