Half of 2020-born could face unprecedented exposure to climate extremes

OVER half the children born in 2020 could face an unprecedented exposure to heatwaves, compared to 16 per cent of those born in 1960, even if global warming were limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a new study has found.

- 

Analysing demographic data and projections of climate extremes around the world, researchers calculated the fraction of each generation born between 1960 and 2020, who could face an unprecedented exposure in their lifetime.

The younger a person, the higher their chances of experiencing unprecedented climate extremes, including heatwaves, river floods and droughts - children in the tropics will bear the worst burden, the team said. Its findings were published in the journal 'Nature'.