A United Nations children’s agency report released Thursday examined the impact of climate-related disruptions on global education during 2025. The analysis drew on data from 106 countries and territories to assess the scale and nature of climate hazards affecting students from pre-primary through upper secondary levels.
The report identified storms as the leading cause of school disruptions, affecting 109 million students worldwide, followed by floods impacting at least 70 million students and heatwaves disrupting education for approximately 50 million children. These climate events caused interruptions through various mechanisms, including direct school closures, damage to educational facilities, reduced instructional time, declining attendance rates, and heightened dropout risks.
The analysis found that approximately 75 percent of affected students reside in low- and lower-middle-income countries, where education systems frequently lack adequate resources to maintain continuity of learning during climate emergencies. Girls experienced disproportionate impacts, facing additional vulnerabilities including displacement-related caregiving responsibilities, water-collection duties, and increased risks of child marriage—all factors that reduce their likelihood of returning to school following disruptions.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized that climate hazards affect students beyond temporary classroom closures, also destroying school infrastructure and displacing families. The agency cautioned that inaction could result in approximately $200 billion in lost lifetime earnings among students whose 2025 education was interrupted by climate-related incidents.
The organization called on governments and partner organizations to increase investment in climate-resilient educational infrastructure. The agency noted that its methodology for the current analysis relied on information from aid organizations and local media sources rather than government reporting, which differed from approaches used in previous assessments.
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