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83% of 2020 babies will experience 'unprecedented' temperatures, report shows

Published: 12 May. 2025, 20:30

A man carries a child, head covered with a towel to protect from the heat, in Jammu, India, on June 2, 2024. [AP/YONHAP]

We owe it to the children, quite literally — a report has revealed the devastating impact of climate change that future generations will face, especially in the form of extreme heat, as a result of the current generation's failure to work together to combat climate crisis.

Four out of five children born in 2020 will experience extreme heat waves in their lifetimes even if the international community reduces greenhouse gas emissions as currently planned, according to a new report released by Save the Children.

Titled “Born into the Climate Crisis 2: An unprecedented life,” the report was co-authored with Vrije Universiteit Brussel, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement. The report explores how achieving the agreement’s 1.5 degrees Celsius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warming limit could protect children from climate disasters.

Born in 2020? Prepare for the worst heat waves

According to the report, if current emissions reduction targets set by governments are upheld, global temperatures will rise by 2.7 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels by 2100.

Last year alone, the global average temperature was already 1.55 degrees higher than the preindustrial average.

A cover of the ″Born into the Climate Crisis 2. An unprecedented life″ report [SAVE THE CHILDREN]

Based on these projections, researchers estimate that 83 percent — roughly 100 million — of the 120 million children born in 2020 will experience “unprecedented levels” of extreme heat in their lifetimes. These events are considered one-in-10,000-year occurrences in a climate-stable world. A child born in 2020 would be 80 years old by 2100, making this a present-day problem rather than a distant concern.

In the worst-case scenario, in which emissions targets are not met and global temperatures rise by 3.5 degrees Celsius by 2100, 92 percent of these children — approximately 111 million — could be exposed to unprecedented heat waves.

Extreme heat is especially devastating for children in low-income countries and under-resourced communities. The report noted that such conditions jeopardize children’s physical and mental health, restrict access to food and clean water and lead to school closures, violating their right to education.

The report also found that children born in 2020 face at least double the exposure to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and wildfires compared to their grandparents born in 1960.

A child pushes his bicycle through high-tide floodwater on a street in North Jakarta, Indonesia, on Nov. 20, 2024. [EPA/YONHAP]

Haruka, a 16-year-old from Vanuatu interviewed for the study, said she experienced three powerful cyclones in the past year alone.

“Every year, the land shrinks, the roots weaken and the culture we cling to is torn by the wind.” she wrote in a poem quoted by the report.

“No resources, no time — just survival. Constantly rebuilding what an avaricious, anthropocentric society destroys. Reiterating these repercussions is exhausting. Our actions now matter. Meet the Paris Agreement target, and 5 million children will avoid the devastation of cyclones.”

Keeping it low, keeping them safe

The report emphasizes that sticking to the 1.5-degree target would drastically reduce the number of children affected by climate disasters.

A child tries to block the sun during a heatwave in Daegu on July 31, 2024. [YONHAP]

A man carrying a baby drinks water as another heatwave hits Milan, Italy, on Aug. 5, 2022. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

If warming is limited to 1.5 degrees, the number of children exposed to extreme heat falls to 62.5 million — 38 million fewer than under the 2.7-degree scenario. Additionally, 8 million children would be protected from crop failures, and 5 million from floods and tropical cyclones.

To reduce the impact of climate disasters on future generations, the report calls for actions beyond simply curbing temperature rise.

These include expanding climate financing for disaster response, implementing child- and community-led climate adaptation policies, and ensuring children's participation in climate action.

“The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it is a pressing reality that children are facing today,” wrote Save the Children. “Ensuring that children and climate justice are at the heart of climate mitigation, adaptation and responses to loss and damage is crucial to protecting their rights and securing a sustainable future for generations to come.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHON KWON-PIL [[email protected]]