Study reveals 61% of children in India face additional month of heat stress due to climate change

New global research has estimated that 61 per cent of children in India, translating to 145 million individuals, are exposed to at least one additional month of heat stress every year due to climate change.

The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, show that climate change has doubled the number of children aged up to nine who are exposed to at least five total months of dangerous heat stress per year, rising from 59 million to 118 million, which accounts for 50 per cent of children in this age group.

The study was led by an international team of researchers at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium. According to the team, this is the first-ever analysis quantifying how heat exposure directly linked to climate change affects different age groups globally, both currently and in the near future.

Researchers noted that excess heat disrupts the normal functioning of the human body, aggravates underlying diseases, and can lead to serious medical complications including heatstroke, dehydration, and organ failure.

The research specifically focuses on humid heat, explaining that it is more dangerous than dry heat because it impedes the body's natural ability to sweat and cool down, leading to dangerous levels of heat stress.

On a global scale, up to 560 million children aged 0 to 9, representing 43 per cent of all children in that age group, are living through at least one additional month of heat stress per year due to human-induced climate change. The analysis found that this exposure outpaces any other age group and is nearly triple the 190 million people, or 30 per cent, aged 60 to 69 who experience the same health threat.

The research team stated that climate change is increasing humid heat the most in tropical regions and poorer countries where populations are younger, resulting in more children being affected. South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Africa currently have the highest number of children exposed to dangerous heat stress.

Lead author Rosa Pietroiusti, a PhD researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, stated that climate change is already causing hundreds of millions of children to suffer from dangerous heat worldwide, posing severe risks to health. Pietroiusti added that children in developing countries face disproportionate exposure to climate extremes despite contributing the least to historical greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, factors such as poverty, inadequate housing, limited access to cooling, and overstretched healthcare systems leave many children with few ways to protect themselves.

Looking ahead, the number of children affected globally by an additional month of dangerous heat is expected to increase to 620 million, or 49 per cent of all children, under projected global warming scenarios of 1.5 degrees Celsius. This figure could reach 650 million children, or 59 per cent, under a global warming scenario of 2 degrees Celsius.

In India specifically, 166 million children, representing 74 per cent, are projected to experience at least one additional month of heat stress per year under global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius. This number could rise to 169 million children, or 96 per cent, if global warming reaches 2 degrees Celsius.

"This comprehensive research highlights a critical systemic challenge that impacts public health infrastructure, workforce productivity, and economic stability, particularly in developing regions like India. As extreme weather patterns intensify, businesses, policymakers, and innovators must factor climate resilience and cooling solutions into long-term infrastructure and operational planning. Protecting vulnerable populations from environmental stress is no longer just an environmental concern; it is a fundamental requirement for sustainable economic growth and societal development." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes