Climate change threatens Mexican children, Digi Mart USA News: The consequences of climate change already affect the health and education of millions of girls, boys and adolescents in Mexico. According to a study by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), about 90.5 percent of this population is simultaneously exposed to at least two climate risks, mainly droughts and heat waves.
The research, titled La infancia y adolescencia frente al cambio climático en México, warns that extreme weather events represent not only an environmental risk but also compromise the development of children, particularly in households facing poverty and with less access to basic services. Among the main effects identified are an increase in childhood illnesses, school interruptions and difficulties in guaranteeing access to water and food.
In terms of health, the study found that a 10 percent increase in maximum accumulated precipitation over five consecutive days is associated with a 1.9 percent increase in the infant mortality rate from diarrheal diseases. The analysis also links high temperatures to greater risks of mortality from respiratory diseases.
Children under five face particular vulnerability because their bodies are still developing.
Schools are also affected. UNICEF documented that extreme weather events are related to a 2.6 percent decline in enrollment of girls entering first grade of primary school and a 2.4 percent decline for boys.
For second-grade girls, the estimated reduction was 1.5 percent. Added to these effects are interruptions to school activities caused by high temperatures.
During 2023 and 2024, about 13.1 million girls, boys and adolescents in 18 states faced suspensions of in-person classes, reduced school days or restrictions on physical activities. The problem is compounded by infrastructure conditions at schools.
According to data from the Secretariat of Public Education for 2023, 22.2 percent of basic education schools and 25.5 percent of upper secondary education centers lack drinking water, a shortage that makes it difficult to maintain activities during periods of intense heat.
UNICEF also warns that the effects of the climate crisis are not evenly distributed. Children and adolescents living in Indigenous communities, areas exposed to floods or droughts, and households in poverty have fewer resources to face emergencies and recover from their consequences.
This inequality also carries economic implications.
The study estimates that the additional costs linked to child mortality and illness caused by climate change could reach between 411 and 888 million pesos by 2050, depending on the emissions scenario considered. Mexico ranks 54th among 200 countries in the Child Climate Risk Index cited by UNICEF.
The report also identifies the combination of droughts and heat waves as the most frequent simultaneous exposure in the country, affecting 39.5 percent of the child and adolescent population.
Given this outlook, UNICEF proposes strengthening the infrastructure of schools and health centers, guaranteeing water supply and sanitation, expanding social protection mechanisms and increasing resources for climate adaptation measures. The agency also recommends that authorities incorporate the experiences and proposals of children and adolescents into the design of environmental policies, so that prevention and care measures respond to the risks they face in their communities.
