NEW YORK: UN warns based on a recent UNICEF analysis reveals that one in five children, or 466 million, now live in areas experiencing at least double the number of extremely hot days compared to their grandparents’ generation of extreme heat. This rise in extreme heat is significantly affecting children’s health, well-being, and daily lives.

The study compared data from the 1960s to 2020-2024, focusing on days exceeding 35°C (95°F). It highlights a concerning trend: nearly half a billion children worldwide face more extremely hot days, often without adequate infrastructure to cope.

In 16 countries, children now endure over a month of additional extremely hot days compared to 60 years ago. For example, in South Sudan, children face an average of 165 extremely hot days annually, up from 110 in the 1960s. In Paraguay, the number has doubled from 36 to 71 days.

Children in West and Central Africa are the most exposed to extreme heat, with 123 million children—39% of the region’s youth—now experiencing over a third of the year in temperatures above 35°C. In some countries like Mali and Niger, this can be as many as 212 days.

Extreme heat poses serious health risks for children, including heat stress, malnutrition, and increased vulnerability to diseases like malaria and dengue. It also affects mental health and overall well-being. Pregnant women are particularly at risk, with heat stress linked to complications such as low birth weight and preterm births.

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As nations prepare to update their climate plans under the Paris Agreement, UNICEF urges leaders to take bold, urgent action to protect children’s rights to a healthy and sustainable environment. Today’s decisions will shape the world children inherit.