Climate change and child health
Climate change is increasingly recognised as one of the greatest threats to child health worldwide. From heat exposure and air pollution to undernutrition and infectious disease, climate change is already reshaping the health and wellbeing of children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries that have contributed least to the climate crisis.
Across many regions, droughts, floods and heatwaves are disrupting children's daily lives – affecting health, education, nutrition, safety and wellbeing. These impacts are experienced differently across communities, requiring responses that are tailored to local contexts and informed by evidence.
No single discipline or sector can address these interconnected challenges alone. Protecting child health in a changing climate requires people-centred approaches that strengthen resilient communities and translate evidence into practical action.
Oxford researchers and partners are generating evidence across climate science, paediatrics, infectious disease, epidemiology, nutrition, public health and the social sciences to better understand how climate change is shaping child health outcomes across different settings. This includes work on the effects of extreme heat and air pollution, how climate change affects infectious disease transmission and nutrition, and evidence to inform policy and adaptation strategies.
Oxford Global Health works with partners across the University, including the Oxford Martin School, to connect expertise on climate change and child health across research, policy and practice. By convening researchers and partners across disciplines and regions, Oxford Global Health supports more coordinated approaches that translate evidence into action to protect children's health and wellbeing.