Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Climate Change Exposes Millions Of Indian Children To Heat Stress
A new study looked at how climate change is making hot weather more dangerous for children.
In India, about 145 million children experience at least one extra month of heat stress each year.
Heat stress can cause dehydration, heatstroke, organ failure, and other serious health problems.
Humid heat is especially dangerous because it makes it harder for the body to cool itself by sweating.
Around the world, as many as 560 million children aged 0–9 face this extra heat exposure.
Children are affected more than older age groups in the study.
Poor housing, limited cooling, poverty, and strained health systems can make the danger worse.
The number of affected children is expected to rise if global temperatures increase further.
An estimated 145 million Indian children, or 61%, face at least one additional month of heat stress annually because of climate change.
Climate change has doubled the number of Indian children experiencing at least five months of dangerous heat stress, from 59 million to 118 million.
Globally, up to 560 million children aged 0–9 experience at least one additional month of climate-linked heat stress each year.
The study found children face more additional heat exposure than any other age group, especially in tropical and poorer regions.
India’s projected exposure could reach 166 million children under 1.5°C warming and 169 million under 2°C warming.
- Who
- Children, especially those aged 0–9, are the main population studied by an international research team led by researchers at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, including lead author Rosa Pietroiusti.
- What
- The study estimated how many children experience at least one additional month of dangerous humid heat stress each year because of human-induced climate change.
- When
- The findings describe current annual exposure and project conditions under 1.5°C and 2°C global warming scenarios.
- Where
- The analysis covers the world, with South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Africa identified as regions with the highest numbers of exposed children; India is a major focus.
- Why
- Human-induced climate change is increasing humid heat, which makes it harder for the body to cool itself and raises risks including dehydration, heatstroke, and organ failure.
- Current exposure in India
- 145 million children, or 61%, face at least one additional month of heat stress annually.
- Five-month exposure in India
- The number of children exposed to at least five total months of dangerous heat stress rose from 59 million to 118 million, or 50% of children.
- Global current exposure
- Up to 560 million children aged 0–9, or 43%, experience at least one additional month of heat stress annually due to climate change.
- Global 1.5°C projection
- The number of affected children could rise to 620 million, or 49% of all children.
- Global 2°C projection
- The number could reach 650 million children, or 59% of all children.
- India at 1.5°C warming
- An estimated 166 million Indian children, or 74%, could experience at least one additional month of heat stress annually.
- India at 2°C warming
- An estimated 169 million Indian children, or 96%, could experience at least one additional month of heat stress annually.