Data for Children Collaborative Research Team Collaborates with UNICEF to Publish Report Urging for Immediate Climate Action to Protect Children from Heatwaves
On 25th October 2022, UNICEF released a report: “The coldest year of the rest of their lives: Protecting children from the escalating impacts of heatwaves”.
Photo credit: © UNICEF/UN010156/Ayene
The report highlights that while the climate crisis intensifies, so do the heatwaves, as they become longer, stronger, more widespread and more frequent. Heatwaves already pose a threat to millions of children around the world. The work of our collaborative team from across the disciplines and institutions points out that by 2050 virtually every child on earth will face more frequent heatwaves, even if the world manages to achieve ‘low greenhouse gas emissions’.
The research highlights that children experience and will continue to experience, more severe effects of heatwaves than adults, as they lack the same ability to regulate their body temperatures.
Photo credit: © UNICEF/UN0364343/Gil
UNICEF and the research team urges the world leaders ahead of COP27 to take action and:
PROTECT children from climate devastation by adapting social services.
PREPARE children to live in a climate-changed world.
PRIORITISE children and young people in climate finance and resources.
PREVENT a climate catastrophe by drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions to keep 1.5 degrees Celsius alive.
The report leverages on the research of the Children's Climate Risk Index (CCRI) project.
Research partners:
UNICEF
University of Southampton
University of Edinburgh
University of Stirling
University of the Highlands and Islands
Read more:
More about Children’s Climate Risk Index
The Children’s Climate Risk Index – Report and Atlas
More about the CCRI project at the Data for Children Collaborative
In press:
The Guardian, Virtually all children on Earth will face more frequent heatwaves by 2050
The Washington Post, ‘Virtually every child’ to face frequent heat waves by 2050, UNICEF says.
MSN, UNICEF report: Almost every child on earth will suffer from heatwaves by 2050
Common Dreams, 2 Billion Kids to Face Extreme Heatwave Threat by 2050, Warns UNICEF