Written by Patrice Peck
What will the world look like for children in 2050? Will they live in a future where they can safely navigate digital spaces and benefit from new technologies? Will they see progress from reduced carbon emissions and renewable energy and inherit a sustainable environment without climate threats? According to UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2024 Report, this isn’t just wishful thinking—it’s attainable if leaders take bold, timely action.
“We have a chance to shape a better future for children, one that every child deserves, but we need to start today,” says Bo Viktor Nylund, Director of UNICEF Innocenti.
However, Nylund warns that the powerful forces shaping 21st-century life could deepen existing inequalities unless leaders enact meaningful steps to drive positive change. The report shows that nearly 14 times more children could face extreme heat waves by the 2050s than today, for example.
Nylund says leaders in governments, businesses, NGOs, human rights organizations, and civil society must tackle two distinct yet critical forces: the escalating climate and environmental crises, which threaten children and communities, and the rapid evolution of frontier technologies, which carry risks and opportunities. UNICEF’s report presents a roadmap for each, painting a picture of how today’s choices will define tomorrow’s world and who will flourish in it.
How The Climate And Environmental Crisis Will Affect Every Realm Of Children’s Lives
Today’s children are growing up in a hazardous and unpredictable world. UNICEF’s report says that nearly half of all children—about 1 billion—live in countries with high risks of climate crises like heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, and air pollution. Rising temperatures spread deadly diseases like malaria, dengue and Zika while floods contaminate water supplies, increasing waterborne illnesses—a leading cause of death for children under five. Education is also at risk due to extreme weather. Since 2022, climate-related school closures have affected 400 million students worldwide. These disruptions not only result in missed lessons but also harm children’s mental health and limit their future opportunities—affecting economies, too.
Every child has the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, according to The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, yet environmental hazards present “an urgent and systemic threat to children’s rights.” Without a swift global response, Nylund says climate-induced impacts on children will worsen, and mitigation efforts will become even more costly.
UNICEF’s report outlines different future scenarios based on decisions that are made today. A worst-case scenario warns of eight times as many children facing extreme heat waves in 2050 compared with the start of the century, and the number of children exposed to extreme river floods tripling. Best-case scenarios of accelerated development are better, but still anticipate negative impacts, including 301 million children facing heatwaves in 2050, according to the report.
“If we act now, we have a real chance to address the climate realities that children may face in 2050,” says Cristina Shapiro, UNICEF USA’s Chief Strategy Officer. “Imagine schools that are designed to withstand floods and hurricanes and a generation of children equipped with the skills to lead on solutions. By investing in resilience-building efforts today, we can safeguard a better tomorrow.”
Shapiro points to UNICEF’s Today and Tomorrow initiative that supports climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and preparedness—helping communities prevent and minimize climate and disaster risks, especially for children, while protecting our shared future.
Nylund says reaching a best-case scenario requires a commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which for 35 years has been a cornerstone for improving children’s lives globally. He adds that the CRC framework is vital at a time when decades of hard-won progress are under threat, especially for girls’ rights, as some governments and institutions roll back legal protections, limit access to education and restrict reproductive health services.
“The Convention provides essential guidance and remains an evergreen tool … for governments, the United Nations, multilateral systems, businesses and civil society as they develop policies, approaches and practices to the challenges of today and tomorrow,” says Nylund. “It emphasizes respect for children’s voices, agency and capabilities as they grow.”
Preparing children for a climate-stressed world also means prioritizing climate literacy in schools. Just one additional year of schooling can increase climate awareness by 9%, which can equip students with the skills to address the crisis and advocate for a habitable future. Unfortunately, many low- and middle-income countries don’t have the resources to include these topics in their curricula.
“Fostering the climate leaders of tomorrow is core to UNICEF’s work,” says Shapiro. “By expanding access to education—particularly for young women and girls—we can ensure young people are drivers of meaningful change. Equipping the next generation with critical skills in emerging tech, AI, green innovation, leadership, and advocacy empowers them to tackle the challenges that lay ahead.”
“Education also drives individuals to take action on climate change, including by adopting responsible consumerism and building future generations of strong leadership in tackling the climate crisis,” says Nylund.
How Frontier Technologies Promise Dramatic Life Improvements And Challenges For Children
As leaders search for solutions, rapidly advancing technologies are giving rise to new opportunities. Neurotechnologies—such as non-invasive tools that measure brain activity for attention—could help personalize education to children’s individual needs. Transformative tech could improve diagnostics and treatment for various disorders, helping children become healthier.
“Technology gives us an incredible opportunity to transform how kids learn and grow,” says Shapiro. “The key is making sure every child can benefit, no matter where they live. When we get this right, we’re not just closing gaps—we’re unlocking potential on a global scale.”
Shapiro adds that AI systems have the potential to help children learn and express themselves in new ways and spur economic growth. However, technology alone doesn’t make the world a better place; its potential depends on how societies, governments and companies design and apply it. Without thoughtful planning, the report shows that these innovations could deepen inequality instead of reducing it.
The digital divide is already leaving some children further behind. UNICEF’s report shows that lack of access to the internet limits children’s opportunities compared with their more privileged peers. Early and safe online engagement helps children build soft skills, like critical thinking and reasoning, as well as the digital skills needed for future work. By 2030, over 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills, yet only 37% of the population has internet access due to unreliable electricity and infrastructure.
Additionally, as technology advances, the risks of exploitation, surveillance and biased algorithms grow. Children’s privacy, freedom and safety are at stake. “While recognizing the potential of AI to benefit children, UNICEF also acknowledges the risks,” says Nylund.
Nylund emphasizes that developers and policymakers must ensure AI evolves in ways that protect and empower children. UNICEF has developed principles for child-centered AI, including fairness, safety and transparency. Nylund says governments—and, where relevant, businesses—should enforce these principles while investing in digital infrastructure, affordable devices and digital literacy programs to ensure children benefit equitably from technological advancements. A fairer future for every child relies on equitable and healthy access to technology.
“To be disconnected in a digital world is to be deprived of opportunities in the present and potential in the future,” says Nylund.
A Global Call To Action
Looking to 2050 and beyond, UNICEF’s report provides clear evidence for why the world must work to cut emissions, build climate-resilient infrastructure and prioritize equitable access to digital technology. Governments must also embed children’s rights into national laws, hold businesses accountable and invest in systems that protect child welfare.
Despite the immense obstacles children face, there are solutions to address these challenges. With global action and inclusive, collective efforts, we can create a world where children not only survive but thrive.
Read the full State of the World’s Children 2024 Report.
Learn more about UNICEF.
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