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Climate Hazards Disrupt School for 1 in 10 Students Globally, UNICEF Reports
Confirmed
In Short: One in 10 students from pre-primary to upper secondary globally had their education interrupted by climate hazards last year, according to a new report by UNICEF.
More than 171 million students were affected by climate-related school disruptions in 2025, according to a new report by the United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF. The report, titled 'Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2025,' found that storms, floods, heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires disrupted education through school closures, damaged facilities, reduced teaching time, and increased the risk of dropping out.
UNICEF's analysis, which covered data from 106 countries and territories, revealed that storms were the leading cause of climate-related school disruptions, affecting 109 million students worldwide. Floods affected at least 70 million students, while heatwaves disrupted the schooling of approximately 50 million children. The report noted that 75 percent of the affected children live in low- and lower-middle-income countries, where education systems often lack the resources needed to maintain learning during climate emergencies.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized the severity of the issue, stating, 'For millions of children, climate hazards do not just disrupt classes; they also destroy their schools, uproot their families, and deprive the most vulnerable.' The report also highlighted that girls were disproportionately affected, with damage to schools and sanitation facilities, displacement, and lost family income placing additional caregiving and water-collection responsibilities on them.
UNICEF urged governments and their partners to invest more in building new educational facilities that can withstand climate and environmental hazards. The agency also warned that inaction could result in at least $200 billion in lost lifetime earnings among students whose schooling was disrupted by climate-related hazards in 2025 alone. More than 40 countries experienced multiple rounds of climate-related school disruptions during the year, according to the analysis.
UNICEF is calling for increased domestic and international financing for education resilience, greater investment in climate-resilient school infrastructure, and stronger climate and education data systems. The agency highlighted the case of 16-year-old Taudibura Garo from Papua New Guinea, who said, 'My school is right next to a creek, and when there is flooding, the water rises and flows into the school.' This underscores the immediate and long-term impacts of climate hazards on education.
What's confirmed
- “For millions of children, climate hazards do not just disrupt classes; they also destroy their schools, uproot their families and deprive the most vulnerable,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
- Storms were the leading cause of climate-related school disruptions in 2025, affecting 109 million students worldwide, while floods affected at least 70 million and heatwaves disrupted the schooling of approximately 50 million children, according to the analysis.
What's still developing
- UNICEF said these pressures can also increase the risk of child marriage, making it more difficult for girls to return to school after institutions reopen.