The number of children worldwide exposed to extreme climate events is set to rise eight-fold by the 2050s; they will face far more frequent extreme heatwaves, floods and droughts compared with the 2000s, according to a United Nations report, The Guardian reports. 

The State of the World’s Children report, released on November 20 to mark World Children’s Day, highlights the escalating risks posed by the climate crisis and other global shifts. It predicts nearly double the number of children will experience wildfires, while many more will face droughts and tropical cyclones.

Catherine Russell, executive director of Unicef, said: “Children are experiencing a myriad of crises, from climate shocks to online dangers, and these are set to intensify in the years to come. The decisions world leaders make today – or fail to make – define the world children will inherit … Decades of progress, particularly for girls, are under threat,” The Guardian reports. 

The report underscores the geographical disparities of climate impacts. East and South Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, and parts of Africa are expected to see the largest increases in extreme heatwaves affecting children.

This year is already the hottest year in documented history. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently said that the hope that temperature increases will be contained to 1.5C is “almost dead” and that the planet is on course to warm by 2.6C if current policies are continued. River floods will also become an increasingly dangerous problem due to extreme rainfall changes due to climate change. Droughts and floods will disproportionately impact children in these regions, with additional hotspots in East Africa and the Pacific, the report warns. 

Children in low-income countries are particularly vulnerable. Nearly half of the world’s children—approximately 1bn—already live in countries at high risk of environmental disasters. Their brains, lungs, and immune systems are affected by pollution and extreme weather even before birth, and as they grow, their education, nutrition, and mental health are increasingly at risk, says the UN. 

Air pollution is currently a leading cause of death in children under five, contributing to 709,000 fatalities in 2021, according to the State of Global Air report. Climate-related school closures have also disrupted learning for more than 400mn students since 2022, which the World Bank has termed an “economic timebomb,” as climate shocks exacerbate educational inequalities.

The report also explores how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, will reshape children’s futures. While AI embedded in apps and educational tools offers opportunities, its use comes with risks, particularly for those in low-income regions. In 2024, nearly 95% of high-income populations are online, compared with just 25% in low-income countries, exacerbating the Global North and Global South digital divide where the divide will only widen. 

As global child populations are set to grow in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the report calls for urgent action to address climate risks and protect decades of development gains. “The future of our children depends on the decisions we make today,” Russell said. “The world cannot afford to fail them.”