Data for Children Collaborative

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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: 

UNICEF report “The coldest year of the rest of their lives: protecting children from the escalating impacts of heatwaves”. 

 

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.  

Channel 4 News, Sunak must stop fossil fuel projects in UK says climate activist Vanessa Nakate (video) 

MSN, UNICEF report: Almost every child on earth will suffer from heatwaves by 2050 

WION News, UNICEF: More than two billion children will witness frequent and prolonged heat waves by 2050 

Common Dreams, 2 Billion Kids to Face Extreme Heatwave Threat by 2050, Warns UNICEF 

CNN Portugal, 560 milhões de crianças estão atualmente expostas a ondas de calor, afirma a Unicef