UNICEF Report Reveals 250 Million Children Affected by Extreme Weather in 2024

A UNICEF report indicates that 242 million children in 85 countries were kept out of school in 2024 due to severe weather, representing one in seven school-age children globally. Extreme weather risks, particularly heatwaves, have significantly disrupted education, especially in low-income nations. Education systems are largely ill-equipped to address these challenges, necessitating immediate action.

According to UNICEF, approximately 242 million children across 85 countries experienced interruptions in their schooling in 2024 due to extreme weather events such as heatwaves, cyclones, and flooding. This situation represents about one in seven school-age children worldwide being affected by climate-related disruptions. Low-income nations, especially in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, faced severe impacts, with numerous schools destroyed by adverse weather conditions.

Regions beyond the developing world were also affected; for instance, torrential rains and floods in Italy disrupted the education of over 900,000 children, while Spain experienced halted classes due to catastrophic flooding. UNICEF’s report indicates that heatwaves were the most prevalent extreme weather risk for schools, marking the year as the hottest recorded globally.

In a particularly concerning statistic, UNICEF noted that over 118 million children had their schooling interrupted in just April, amid a prolonged heatwave affecting large areas from Gaza to the Philippines, with temperatures surpassing 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s executive director, highlighted the unique vulnerabilities of children in these crises, emphasizing their physiological and cognitive challenges during extreme heat events.

Seventy-four percent of affected children were from middle- to low-income countries, illustrating the widespread impact of climate extremes on impoverished populations. April flooding destroyed 400 schools in Pakistan, while Afghanistan faced both heatwaves and subsequent flooding that caused significant educational losses.

Additionally, the El Niño phenomenon exacerbated drought conditions in southern Africa, putting millions of children’s education and future at risk. Recent disasters also struck the French territory of Mayotte and Mozambique, further extending the interruptions in schooling due to cyclones.

UNICEF warned that current educational systems remain ill-prepared to manage the ongoing effects of severe weather, necessitating substantial reform to protect children’s access to education.

The report from UNICEF highlights a critical and alarming consequence of climate change: the significant disruption of children’s education worldwide due to extreme weather. The data presented underlines the urgent need for global attention as these events disproportionately affect children, particularly those in economically disadvantaged regions. Understanding the scale and impact of climate-related disruptions is essential for effective intervention and policy development.

The findings of UNICEF emphasize a profound educational crisis triggered by climate change, with a staggering 242 million children worldwide experiencing schooling interruptions due to extreme weather in the past year. It is imperative for global leaders and policymakers to recognize the urgent need for improved preparedness in educational systems to safeguard children’s futures in the face of escalating climate threats.

Original Source: www.usnews.com