How Extreme Heat and Climate Shocks are Threatening Global Education Gains

As the effects of climate change become increasingly apparent, the education system worldwide is facing unprecedented challenges. The intensification of extreme weather, particularly heat waves, is closing schools for extended periods, threatening to reverse decades of progress in global education. With children today experiencing more extreme weather hazards than their grandparents, the climate crisis is emerging as one of the most significant threats to educational advancement.

The Growing Threat of Extreme Heat to Education

Extreme heat, driven by the continued burning of fossil fuels, is increasingly disrupting the education system across the globe. School closures due to high temperatures are becoming more frequent, with many countries witnessing a rising number of “heat days” each year. These closures, often lasting for days or even weeks, disrupt learning and are contributing to a significant loss in educational outcomes.

A stark example is Pakistan, where schools were closed for 26 million students—half of the country’s student population—for a full week in May 2024 due to temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Bangladesh experienced a similar situation in April, affecting 33 million children, while South Sudan and the Philippines also had to shutter schools due to dangerous heat levels. Even in the United States, school districts from Massachusetts to Colorado have seen an increase in heat-related closures, with the number of such days doubling in recent years.

The Impact on Learning Outcomes

The link between high temperatures and poor learning outcomes is well-documented. Research indicates that extreme heat, especially when sustained over several hours, has a detrimental effect on cognitive functions, leading to lower test scores and reduced learning retention. This is a significant concern for educators and policymakers, as rising temperatures are expected to increase the frequency and duration of heat waves, further exacerbating the educational challenges faced by students.

Unicef’s data highlights the generational divide in exposure to extreme heat. Children today are living through many more abnormally hot days compared to previous generations. Globally, 466 million children are now living in areas experiencing at least twice as many extremely hot days—defined as temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius—as their grandparents did. The effects are most pronounced in low- and middle-income countries, where the infrastructure is often ill-equipped to handle such extreme weather conditions.

The Generation Gap in Climate Hazards

The generation gap in exposure to extreme heat is particularly stark in regions such as the Sahel, where children in countries like Mali, Niger, and Chad are experiencing 30 more extremely hot days per year compared to six decades ago. In contrast, South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, which have historically had high temperatures, have not seen a significant increase in the frequency of extreme heat days across generations, although they continue to endure deadly heat waves.

In wealthier nations, the effects are also becoming more apparent. For instance, 85% of children in France and 76% in Greece are expected to experience twice as many extreme heat days as compared to the 1960s. This shift underscores the widespread nature of the problem, affecting both developing and developed countries alike.

The Broader Impact of Climate Shocks on Education

While extreme heat is a major concern, other climate shocks are also taking a toll on education. Floods, driven by increasingly intense and erratic rainfall, have caused significant disruptions in countries like Brazil and India. In Brazil, climate change-amplified floods forced schools to close for weeks, impacting tens of thousands of students. Similarly, in India, widespread flooding in states like Kerala led to school closures in July and August 2024, affecting the education of millions of children.

An earlier report by Save the Children projects that children born in 2020 will experience nearly three times as many river floods and twice as many wildfires over their lifetimes compared to those born in 1960. However, the generational gap is most pronounced when it comes to heat. The same report estimates that children born in 2020 will face nearly seven times as many heat waves in their lifetimes compared to their grandparents.

A Looming Crisis for the Most Vulnerable

The most significant impacts of these climate shocks are being felt in low- and middle-income countries, which are the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. These regions are home to nearly half of the world’s out-of-school children, with climate vulnerabilities further exacerbating the challenges to education. The rising frequency of extreme weather events is compounding existing problems, including poverty, conflict, and inadequate infrastructure, making it even more difficult for children in these areas to access quality education.

Urgent Action Required

The increasing frequency and severity of extreme heat and other climate shocks pose a grave threat to global education gains. As the world grapples with the effects of climate change, it is essential to prioritize the resilience of educational systems to ensure that children everywhere can continue learning. This will require coordinated efforts at all levels, from local communities to international organizations, to mitigate the impacts of climate change on education and protect the progress made over the past decades. Addressing these challenges is not just about safeguarding the future of education, but also about ensuring a fair and equitable future for all children, regardless of where they live.