UN reports reveal alarming statistics: over 243 million children in Asia face grave danger from escalating heatwaves, posing severe health risks and potential fatalities. Learn more about the urgent call to action amidst record-breaking temperatures and rising climate concerns.
This year is on track to become the hottest on record, fueled by unprecedented climate extremes and escalating greenhouse gas emissions. The latest data from UNICEF paints a grim picture: more than 243 million children across the Pacific and East Asia are on the frontline of heatwave threats, exposing them to life-threatening heat-related illnesses.
Countries across the region are sweltering under the scorching summer sun, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on a regular basis. Forecasts predict even harsher conditions in the weeks ahead, amplifying the risks to vulnerable populations.
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In the Philippines, schools have suspended in-person classes as temperatures surge to “danger” levels of 42 or 43 degrees Celsius in certain areas, as warned by state meteorologists. Thailand has witnessed temperatures reaching a blistering 43.5 degrees Celsius in Mae Hong Son province, just shy of the record 44.6 degrees Celsius.
Tragically, heat-related illnesses claim approximately 40 lives annually in Thailand alone, according to the Ministry of Health. Meanwhile, Vietnam grapples with unprecedented heatwaves, with temperatures soaring to 38 degrees Celsius in its southern regions, surpassing historical norms.
Children emerge as the most vulnerable demographic, unable to regulate their body temperature as effectively as adults. UNICEF emphasizes the heightened risks faced by children, labeling excess heat as a potential threat to their lives. Director of UNICEF Regional Office for East Asia and the Pacific, Debora Comini, stresses the urgent need for action to safeguard children and vulnerable communities from the escalating heatwave crisis.
The UN’s projections paint a bleak future: by 2050, over two billion children are projected to endure the ravages of heatwaves, underscoring the imperative for immediate intervention and comprehensive climate resilience strategies.
