Too many children exposed to extreme heat

Children are much more vulnerable to heat stress than adults, and it can be potentially deadly. — AFP

Nearly half a billion children are facing twice as many days of extreme heat each year – or more – than their grandparents did, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) said on Aug 13 (2024), warning of deadly consequences.

As climate change continues to push up temperatures globally, one in five children – some 466 million kids – live in areas that are registering “at least double the number of extremely hot days every year”, compared to 60 years ago, the agency added.