Calay News
A UNICEF report reveals that around 460 million children in South Asia, representing 76% of the region’s child population, are facing extreme heat conditions. This number contrasts with approximately one-third of children worldwide who find themselves in similar situations. Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF’s regional director for South Asia, noted that these data clearly reflect the growing threat that heat waves and high temperatures pose to the lives and well-being of children in this region.
The United Nations Organization (UN) warns that children in countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, and Pakistan face an “extremely high risk” due to climate change. Extremely high temperatures are considered to be those that exceed 35 degrees Celsius for 83 or more days a year. Children, compared to adults, cannot quickly adapt to changes in temperature, and their ability to dissipate excess heat is limited, making them particularly vulnerable.
The Unicef director emphasizes the importance of taking immediate measures to mitigate this situation since, otherwise, children in the region will continue to face more frequent and severe heat waves in the years to come.
Rising temperatures from global warming have compounded the scorching heat, with July setting an all-time record as the hottest month ever recorded globally. This situation has affected tens of millions of people in countries across Europe, Asia, and North America, highlighting the urgent need to address the impacts of climate change around the world.
