This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: New research by Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) shows that globally, up to 560 million children ages 0–9 (43% of all children in this age group) experience at least one additional month (30 or more days) of heat stress per year because of human-induced climate change. This exposure outpaces that of any other age group and is nearly triple the 190 million people (30%) ages 60–69 experiencing this additional health threat.
Children are therefore already facing disproportionately high levels of dangerous humid heat caused by human-induced climate change, with exposure expected to grow under further warming. Under projected climate change scenarios of 1.5°C and 2°C of global warming, which are extremely likely to be exceeded if countries continue current policies, the number of children affected by an additional month of dangerous heat is expected to increase to 620 million (49%) and 650 million (59%) children ages 0–9, respectively. The study, published today in Science Advances by an international team of researchers led by VUB, is the first analysis to quantify how heat exposure directly linked to climate change affects different age groups globally, both now and in the near future.
The researchers combined population data with state-of-the-art climate models and attribution science that identifies the role of climate change in extreme weather events. The study highlights that the health risks of climate change are already here and are unequally distributed across generations and geographies. Children will remain disproportionately exposed compared with all other age groups, regardless of populations aging globally: Excessive heat disrupts the human body's normal functioning, aggravates underlying diseases and can lead to serious complications such as heatstroke, dehydration and organ failure.
Dangerous heat waves are being made more frequent and intense by climate change, primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas. The study focuses on humid heat, which is more dangerous than dry heat because it impedes the body's ability to sweat and cool down, leading to dangerous levels of heat stress. Children are highly vulnerable to extreme heat because their bodies heat up faster than adults, they sweat less efficiently and they rely on adult care.
Overheating can cause severe health risks, including dehydration and dangerous heatstroke, as well as impacts on learning and cognitive development. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. d research that matter—daily or weekly. The findings come at a critical moment for climate policy.
The ongoing energy crisis has further highlighted the risks of depending on fossil fuels, and 2026 has already seen some of the most severe heat waves ever recorded, some virtually impossible without the influence of climate change. Rosa Pietroiusti, lead author of the study and doctoral researcher at VUB, said, "Climate change is already causing hundreds of millions of children to suffer from dangerous heat worldwide, posing severe risks to their health. Children in developing countries face disproportionate exposure to climate extremes now and into the future, despite contributing the least to historical greenhouse gas emissions.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
