Understanding the Impacts of Rising Temperatures on Early Childhood Development

The fluctuation of earth temperature brings direct consequences to its inhabitants. Children, especially, are vulnerable to the rising heat. What are the impacts of rising temperatures on early childhood development?

Global Warming and Children

From January to November 2025, the global average surface air temperature stood at 1.48°C above pre-industrial level. This is dangerously close to the critical limit temperature of 1.5°C according to the Paris Agreement. Looking back, the planet has seen average temperatures above the pre-industrial level of 1.45°C in 2023 and even exceeding 1.5°C in 2024. If the global temperature trend stays near or, worse, beyond the limit, the world might see a “point of no return”.

The consequences of rising temperatures are far-reaching. Extreme weather events,  heatwaves, and droughts, for instance, affect human health as well. Children are among especially vulnerable groups due to their limited physical resilience.

Yet, many children globally are experiencing rising temperatures as a daily hardship that might undermine their futures. Almost 500 million children are living in regions where they experience nearly doubled numbers of hot days (over 35°C) compared to 60 years ago. For example, children in Paraguay may experience 71 hot days in a year compared to 36 in the past.

Rising Temperatures on Early Childhood Development

A study from New York University shows evidence of the threat of rising temperatures on early childhood development. The study looked into more than 19,000 children across Gambia, Georgia, Madagascar, Malawi, Palestine, and Sierra Leone and their milestones in literacy, numeracy, socio-emotional skill, learning approaches, and physical development to measure indicators of wellbeing such as health, education, sanitation, and nutrition. These data were then compared to and correlated with records of climate and monthly average maximum temperatures.

Key findings reveal real impacts of rising temperatures on early childhood development. For one, children who are exposed to days where the maximum temperature is above 30°C are almost 7% less likely to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy milestones compared to their peers in cooler environments.

Global warming also increases the risk of heat stress for children and vulnerability to temperature-sensitive diseases such as malaria and dengue. The negative impacts are even clearer among children in low-income families living in urban areas with limited access to clean water and sanitation. Additionally, the study also highlights the unseen and overlooked effect of heat towards children’s physical growth.

Ensuring Safe and Climate-Resilient Environment for Children

Recognizing and understanding the far-reaching impacts of climate change beyond environmental concerns—like public health and human development—is crucial. This guides lawmakers, education institutions, and public institutions to create stronger systems for children in their formative years.

Governments must create and enforce supportive policies to protect the early learning environment, improve community infrastructure to be climate resilient, and ensure equitable access to essential services. Meanwhile, parents, guardians, and caregivers could support children’s physical and emotional needs during climate-related stress and create a cooler & safer space at home.

Ultimately, a child whose development is limited by a warming planet represents a lost future potential for the world. Protecting children today is essential for a sustainable and fair future for all.

Editor: Nazalea Kusuma