As climate change and global warming multiply droughts, hurricanes or cyclones and heat waves, nearly a billion children are now exposed to at least three types of serious climate risks that overlap, warns with a report released today by UNICEF -- the United Nations Children's Fund -- stressing the disproportionate impact on certain regions of the world.

The UN agency cross-referenced data on where about 2.4 billion children live on the planet with the geographical distribution of the eight most frequent climatic hazards: flooding on shores, flooding due to river overflows, droughts, tropical storms, heat storms (at least three consecutive days with high temperatures, different country-by-country), extreme heat (over 35° Celsius all day), fires, sandstorms. ..

As a series of disasters affects more children each time, this report examines more specifically those who live exposed to at least three risks, a category that has been greatly enlarged over the last 20 years.

Almost half of the world's children (1.1 billion) live thus exposed to at least three overlapping risks, with the most frequent combination being drought, extreme heat and heat (296 million children, of which 74 million, in Nigeria, 34 million in Pakistan and 32 million in India).

Almost all children (some 2.3 billion) are exposed to at least one risk, 2 billion in at least 2, 364 million in at least four, 53 million in at least five, 4 million in at least 6 and 123,000 in at least seven (of which 46,000 in Myanmar).

"The children are at the forefront of the consequences of climate change," summarizes UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell, in the pre-arranged Children's Climate Risk Report report, calling for action.

Not everything is equal
So what's the worst country for a child on Earth? "There is no short answer," noted Tom Slaker, one of the authors of the text at the French Agency.

Given the number of children in danger, they are exposed more or less everywhere, to poor and wealthy countries. "But they are not equal" to the risks, he noted.

UNICEF points out the "competence" of children according to access to basic services, infrastructure and goods (health, food, water, education, protection). And it gives the public the data it used to help governments prepare for the expected deterioration of climate change.

‘Hot spots’
However, there are some 'hot spots', Mr Slaymaker pointed out, referring to states in sub-Saharan Africa, parts of southern Asia and small island states.

As regards the combination of at least three risks, it is not surprising that countries with most children are ranked at the top of the ranking (Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Pakistan. ..).

But in terms of percentages of children at risk by country, it is sub-Saharan Africa, especially the Sahel states, which are at the top, especially the Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Niger, as well as South Sudan, where the consequences are exacerbated by the difficulty of authorities in dealing with such situations.

In Chad, for example, a country experiencing a humanitarian crisis and experiencing difficulties in accessing drinking water, electricity, food, "over 95% of children" is threatened by at least three climate risks (drying, extreme heat and heat). This percentage is one of the highest in the world.

UNICEF stresses the risk of the 'cycle bottle' in the most vulnerable countries. The drought causes a decline in crops, thus more nutritional insecurity, areas facing drought are more prone to fires, or floods, which destroy homes and schools, and force populations to be displaced. Displaced children are much more vulnerable to the next disaster and have less supplies for the future, in the absence of school education. Without even considering diseases such as malaria, or cholera.

Particularly vulnerable are also 39 island countries, with structural restrictions. The isolation, the small extent of the territory, which can suffer extensive hurricane or cyclone disasters, without the possibility of resorting elsewhere, the lack of drinking water, dependence on imports. ..

Country shelters?
The data do not allow the assessment that a country is truly free from risks.

"In many countries, there are small portions of the population that are not exposed to these risks," said Tom Slaymaker, explaining how they tend to live in the northern hemisphere, mainly in Scandinavia.

But this is because the report deals with the eight most frequent dangers worldwide, it insisted. Children in these countries too may face climate risks, which are not affected in the report -- for example, melting ice or permanent ice layers.