A new UNICEF report has found that more than 1.1 billion children worldwide are now exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards, underscoring how worsening environmental shocks are increasingly shaping childhoods across the globe.
The findings were published in the Children’s Climate Risk Report 2026, which shows that nearly every child on Earth is already affected by at least one climate-related threat, while millions are now facing compounded risks occurring simultaneously.
UNICEF said the danger lies not only in exposure to individual hazards but in their convergence. The report estimates that over 4 million children are living under the burden of as many as six overlapping climate threats.
“The lives of children continue to be upended by the impact of heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, and floods,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.
“Half of the world’s children are now living with at least three overlapping climate threats shaping their daily lives,” she added.
The report identified drought, extreme heat, and heatwaves as the most widespread combination affecting children globally, followed by drought, extreme heat, and tropical storms—patterns that are increasingly concentrated in vulnerable regions.
UNICEF also mapped eight major climate hazards affecting children: coastal flooding, riverine flooding, drought, extreme heat, heatwaves, wildfires, sand and dust storms, and tropical cyclones. It further included air pollution and malaria, noting their strong sensitivity to climate change.
Regionally, the Sahel in Africa emerged as one of the most heavily affected zones, where millions of children face multiple simultaneous climate shocks. In Asia, countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Pakistan were identified as areas where exposure is both intense and overlapping.
The report also stressed that climate risk is no longer confined to developing nations. In Italy, for example, more than 6 million children are exposed to prolonged heatwaves and drought, showing that high-income countries are also increasingly vulnerable.
Small Island Developing States were highlighted as particularly at risk, with children across 24 island nations regularly exposed to tropical storms capable of overwhelming entire national systems.
UNICEF warned that without stronger mitigation and adaptation measures, the situation will continue to deteriorate. “This analysis can help governments and decision-makers plan better and invest more effectively in resilient services,” Russell said. “When we strengthen health and education systems, and improve infrastructure with children in mind, we protect them from today’s climate threats and help secure their future.”
The agency is urging governments to accelerate emissions cuts, phase out fossil fuels, and integrate child protection into national climate adaptation plans, stressing that children must be placed at the center of global climate action.
