Kids Born Today Will Face Far More Climate Disasters Than Their Grandparents, Study Finds

New research shows younger generations will experience unprecedented heatwaves, floods, and crop failures—unless emissions drop fast.

From: Global emergence of unprecedented lifetime exposure to climate extremes

If you were born in 1960, chances are you’ve lived through a few major heatwaves, maybe a couple of bad floods, and possibly one serious drought. But for kids born today, the climate outlook is far more intense—and far more dangerous.

A new study in Nature paints a troubling picture: without urgent action to cut carbon emissions, today’s children could face 20 times more extreme heat events in their lifetimes than someone born just a few decades ago. And it’s not just heat. We're talking about more floods, more droughts, more failed crops, and a lot more human suffering—especially in parts of the world least able to cope.