Some 400 children die of rising heat across Europe and Central Asia

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

An estimated 377 children were killed in 2021 by rising temperatures across Europe and Central Asia.

This was the disturbing finding revealed today, 24 July, by UNICEF in a new analysis of data from 23 countries.

In the report 'Beat the heat: child health amid heatwaves in Europe and Central Asia,' the UN Children's Fund documents that half of these children died from heat-related illnesses in their first year of life.

Most children died during the summer months.

UNICEF's  Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Regina De Dominicis, cautions that "around half of children across Europe and Central Asia – or 92 million children - are already exposed to frequent heatwaves in a region where temperatures are rising at the fastest rate globally."

Life-threatening complications

She warns that the increasingly high temperatures can have serious health complications for children, especially the youngest ones, even in a short space of time.

"Without care," she says, "these complications can be life-threatening."

According to UNICEF, heat exposure has acute effects on children, even before they are born, and can result in pre-term births, low birth weight, stillbirth, and congenital anomalies.

Infant mortality

The UN Agency notes that heat stress is a direct cause of infant mortality, can affect infant growth and cause a range of pediatric diseases.

Moreover, the report explains that extreme heat caused the loss of more than 32,000 years of healthy life among children and teenagers in the region.

Given this reality, UNICEF urges governments across Europe and Central Asia to integrate strategies to reduce the impact of heatwaves, invest in heat health action plans and primary health care to more adequately support heat-related illness among children, and also invest in early warning systems, including heat alert systems.

UNICEF appeals for action

Moreover, it calls for adapting education facilities to reduce the temperatures in the areas children play in and equip teachers with skills to respond to heat stress and adapting urban design and infrastructure, including ensuring buildings, particularly those housing the most vulnerable communities, are equipped to minimize heat exposure.

In addition, the United Nations Children's Fund appeals for securing the provision of safe water, particularly in countries with deteriorating water quality and availability.

UNICEF works with governments, partners and communities across the region to build resilience against heatwaves, and often equips teachers, community health workers, and families, with the skills and knowledge to respond to heat stress.