UNICEF’s testimony to the UN Security Council provides critical guidance for health systems worldwide. First, the scale is unprecedented: 2.2 billion children face climate-related health risks, making this a defining public health challenge of our generation. Second, exposure is nearly universal—89 percent experience extreme heat globally—meaning climate-prepared health infrastructure is essential everywhere, not just in high-risk regions. Third, building climate-resilient health systems has become urgently necessary. This means strengthening healthcare facilities to withstand extreme weather, ensuring supply chain continuity for essential medicines and vaccines, and training healthcare workers to manage climate-related conditions like heat stress and malnutrition. Healthcare leaders should recognize that children’s developing immune systems require proactive, climate-informed medical strategies. Investment in climate resilience is not optional but fundamental to protecting child health outcomes.
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