UNICEF Finds 97 Percent of India's Children Face Multiple Climate Hazards

A new UNICEF report estimates that 97 per cent of children in India — approximately 411.62 million — are exposed to at least two overlapping climate or disaster-related hazards, including drought, extreme heat, floods, tropical storms, and wildfires. More than 234 million children face at least three simultaneous climate hazards, placing their health, education, nutrition, and safety at elevated risk.

The most common hazard combination is drought and extreme heat, affecting more than 158.8 million children. Around 410.2 million children live in areas exposed to agricultural or meteorological drought, representing over 96 per cent of India's child population. About 155.7 million children are exposed to tropical storms, and approximately 89.3 million face heatwaves. Nearly 99 per cent of all children in India — around 421 million — are exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution, with India receiving an air pollution risk score of 9.94 out of 10.

The report highlights how overlapping hazards compound vulnerability. With about 40 per cent of children in India living in severe food poverty, climate disruptions risk intensifying malnutrition, particularly as droughts and floods destroy crops. In 2024, climate-related hazards disrupted schooling for 54.78 million students in India, with heatwaves the leading cause. Odisha extended school closures in five districts to June 20, 2026 due to extreme heatwave conditions.

UNICEF warns that 48 per cent of children under 15 in India are not covered by social protection programmes, leaving them particularly exposed to climate shocks. The agency calls for a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, stronger climate adaptation investments, and inclusion of children's needs in national climate plans and climate finance decisions. Globally, without urgent action, climate change could cause an additional 28 million children to suffer wasting and 40 million to suffer stunting by 2050.

Key figure — 411.62 million children exposed to two or more climate hazards