Indian children among most exposed to extreme heat, drought and multiple climate hazards: UNICEF report
Children play amid the scorching summer heat in Navi Mumbai on June 8, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI
Children (under 18) in India are among the most exposed and vulnerable to hazards from extreme heat and drought according to Children’s Climate Risk Report 2026 by the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The data presented shows that around 55% of children in India are exposed to at least three of the 8 climate hazards considered – river floods, coastal floods, agricultural and meteorological droughts, tropical storms, heat waves, extreme heat, sand and dust storms.
Of the world’s roughly 2.4 billion children, about 2 billion (or 83.3%) are exposed to at least two (out of eight) hazards, while 1.1 billion or 46% of the world’s children are exposed to at least three hazards. Using data from the UNICEF report also highlights exposure to climate factors such as pollution-borne vectors (malaria) and airborne diseases (malaria).
Among the data provided, India ranks fifth in the world in terms of Multi-Hazard Exposure Score calculated by UNICEF – which basically rates children’s exposure to the multiple climate risks mentioned above. Children in Myanmar, Pakistan, Vietnam and Bangladesh are estimated to be more exposed and therefore vulnerable to many hazards.
The table below lists the 20 countries with high multi-risk exposure scores (ranging from 0 to 10; with a score of 10 indicating high risk exposure).
When it comes to extreme heat, India ranks first with a score of 10 (the highest), which means children in India are most exposed to extreme heat, as the table shows.
Children in India are also highly exposed to drought (agricultural and meteorological), with a score of 8.84. Children from Nigeria, Bangladesh and Cameroon are estimated to have higher relative exposure to drought as shown in the table below.
The map below shows the exposure score for each hazard.
The report states that children are at risk of climate-related hazards, while highlighting that children are exposed to climate-sensitive factors such as air pollution and vector-borne diseases, specifically malaria.
“Human-caused climate change and air pollution are linked in a variety of ways. Many activities that produce greenhouse gases also emit air pollutants that have devastating and far-reaching effects on children,” the report said.
Two-thirds of children in India are exposed to malaria, while nearly 99% of children are exposed to air pollution, as shown in the figure below.
Children’s vulnerability
To address the climate risks facing children, the report suggests that “examining the state of social systems and services critical to children” is a good indicator of a region’s or nation’s ability to do so. The map below shows children’s vulnerability scores and scores on various metrics such as health, nutrition, water and sanitation and more.
India’s child vulnerability score (also scored from 0 to 10) is relatively low at 3.44, indicating a stronger capacity for the nation to deal with climate risks that appear to be increasing. However, India’s score is still higher than the median score of 2.5. Children in countries in Africa – such as Niger, Chad, South Sudan and others – are estimated to be much more vulnerable, and the vulnerability score for children in the US is 5.31.
When plotting the Child Vulnerability Score with the Multi-Hazard Exposure Score, India’s position appears in the ‘Crisis Quadrant’, with both values estimated to be higher than the median of all countries (which are plotted).
Published – 23 Jun 2026 0:17 IST