One billion children at risk from heatwaves, WHO warns – UK faces growing threat

The World Health Organization has issued a stark warning that more than one billion children globally are exposed to extreme heatwaves, with the United Kingdom increasingly vulnerable as summer temperatures soar.

**Lead**

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that over one billion children worldwide are at extreme risk from the escalating frequency and intensity of heatwaves, a crisis that now directly threatens the United Kingdom as climate change reshapes weather patterns. In a new assessment released this week, the WHO highlighted that children under five, adolescents, and those with pre-existing health conditions face the greatest danger, with heat-related illnesses, dehydration, and long-term developmental impacts rising sharply. For the UK, where heatwaves have become more common in recent years, the warning carries particular urgency, as schools, hospitals, and public health systems struggle to adapt to a reality once considered unthinkable for a temperate nation.

**Context**

The WHO’s warning builds on a growing body of evidence from global health and climate agencies. According to the organisation, children are physiologically more vulnerable to heat than adults: they absorb more heat, produce more metabolic heat, and have a lower capacity to sweat, making them prone to heatstroke, exhaustion, and respiratory distress. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has previously estimated that one billion children live in countries at extremely high risk from climate impacts, including heatwaves – a figure the WHO now echoes in its latest statement.

The United Kingdom, despite its northern latitude, has not been spared. The Met Office recorded the country’s first ever 40°C temperature in July 2022, during a heatwave that led to hundreds of excess deaths, particularly among the elderly and the very young. Since then, heat-health alerts have become routine, and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has expanded its heatwave warning system to cover more of the summer months. Schools have been forced to close or shorten days, and hospitals have reported surges in heat-related admissions.

The WHO has called on governments worldwide to integrate heat risk into national health planning, early warning systems, and urban design. The organisation stresses that adaptation measures – such as green spaces, cool roofs, improved ventilation in schools, and hydration policies – must be implemented urgently, especially for settings where children gather.

**Analysis**

The implications for the United Kingdom are profound. While the UK has historically prided itself on a temperate climate, the reality is that heatwaves are no longer a rare event. The Committee on Climate Change has warned that without accelerated adaptation, heat-related deaths could triple by 2050. For children, the risks are not limited to immediate physical harm. Studies show that extreme heat disrupts sleep, reduces cognitive performance in classrooms, and can exacerbate asthma and allergies. Moreover, infant mortality rates rise during heatwaves, as babies struggle to regulate body temperature.

The WHO’s warning also underscores a deeper inequity: within the UK, children in disadvantaged urban areas, where green cover is sparse and housing is poorly insulated, suffer disproportionately. In cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester, the urban heat island effect can push temperatures several degrees higher than in surrounding countryside, turning playgrounds and schoolyards into hazard zones. Local authorities are grappling with how to retrofit schools and public buildings to keep children cool, but funding and political will remain inconsistent.

The broader trend is alarming. Global warming is expected to make heatwaves more frequent, longer, and more intense. The WHO’s call for a “child-centred” approach to heat resilience is a recognition that current policies are insufficient. For the UK, this means not just short-term fixes such as sending children home from school during heat alerts, but long-term investment in infrastructure, public health campaigns, and urban planning that prioritises shade, ventilation, and access to water.

**Fontes**

World Health Organization (WHO) – official statement on children and heatwaves, October 2026. UNICEF – report on children’s climate risk, 2021. Met Office – UK heatwave records and climate projections. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) – heatwave plan for England. Committee on Climate Change – adaptation reports on health risks.