UNICEF: 400 million children unable to attend school due to natural disasters in past 2 years

Air pollution, forest fires, and fossil fuel use are causing irreparable harm to children, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Kitty van der Heijden said at a high-level roundtable on children, youth, and climate action at COP29.

According to Report, she noted that over the past 2 years, 400 million children have been unable to attend school due to floods, drought, or heat: "This seriously affects not only learning outcomes but also future demographic indicators."

Heijden added that 43% of children who face natural disasters such as drought, floods, and hurricanes develop post-traumatic stress disorder: "Girls are dropping out of school. If this continues, 12.5 million girls annually will be unable to complete school due to climate change. I think it's time to address this problem."