Forecasts of a summer of record heat across East Asia and the Pacific put the lives of millions of children at risk, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
With scorching 40 degrees Celsius temperatures and high humidity recorded in recent days, and amid warnings over the increasing intensity and frequency of heatwaves over the coming months, the UN agency warned that parents and caregivers should take extra precautions to protect children’s health.
243 million children
Around 243 million children are exposed to hotter and longer heatwaves, putting them at risk of a multitude of heat-related illnesses, and even death, according to UN estimates across the region. “Children are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of climate change, and excess heat is a potentially lethal threat to them,” said Debora Comini, Director of UNICEF Regional Office for East Asia and Pacific. “We must be on high alert this summer to protect children and vulnerable communities from worsening heatwaves and other climate shocks.”
The UN agency cautioned that heatwaves affect children more than adults because they are less able to regulate their body temperature. Young children are at greatest risk of heat-related mortality and illnesses, including chronic respiratory conditions, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. “Prolonged exposure to intense heat impacts children’s ability to concentrate and learn, putting their education at risk. Extreme heat also increases the likelihood of pregnant women giving birth to premature or stillborn babies, as well as complications from gestational diabetes,” the UNICEF said in a press statement.
In East Asia and the Pacific, heatwaves are made more deadly by high humidity levels that hinder the body’s natural cooling mechanisms. Concerns over the impact of rising temperatures on children have prompted the Department of Education in the Philippines to suspend in-person classes, while authorities throughout Southeast Asia have been advising people to steer clear of prolonged sun exposure and to be cautious of the risk of heatstroke.
Heat traps
Across East Asia’s sprawling urban centers, temperatures often soar above those experienced in rural areas due to the heat-absorbing properties of buildings, roads, and vehicles. With heatwaves intensifying and occurring more frequently, cities are effectively becoming “heat traps” that exacerbate the negative health impacts of high temperatures.
A recent analysis by UNICEF identified the Asia-Pacific as the world’s most disaster-prone region, leading to displacement, school closures, water scarcity, and health risks for children. In October last year, Tropical Cyclone Lola struck Vanuatu, leaving more than 43,000 children in need of humanitarian assistance. In the second half of 2023, El Niño caused a prolonged drought in Kiribati and Tuvalu, triggering water shortages.
According to UNICEF’s projections, by 2050, all of the world’s 2.02 billion children are expected to be exposed to high heatwave frequency, regardless of whether the world achieves a ‘low greenhouse gas emission scenario’ with an estimated 1.7 degrees Celsius of warming in 2050 or a ‘very high greenhouse gas emission scenario’ with an estimated 2.4 degrees Celsius of warming in 2050.
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