Climate change threatens education of millions of kids

Many nations not equipped to tackle impact on learning amid school closures in Asia

Record-breaking heat in April that prompted governments in Asia to close schools offers fresh evidence of how climate change is threatening the education of millions of children.

The arrival of seasonal rains has now brought relief to some parts of the region, but experts warn that the broader problem remains, and many countries are poorly prepared to handle the impacts of climate change on schooling.

Asia is warming faster than the global average, and climate change is producing more frequent, longer and more intense heatwaves.

But heat is not the only challenge. A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, which can result in heavy rain and flooding.

This can damage schools or put them out of commission while they are used as shelters.

Hot weather can also drive wildfires and spikes in air pollution, which have caused school closures everywhere from India to Australia.

"The climate crisis is already a reality for children in East Asia and (the) Pacific," the UN children's agency Unicef warned in 2023.