Climate change has serious implications for children’s brain health

A landmark session at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change on 4 June 2024 focused exclusively on the disproportionate effects of climate change on children.1 Although this was a promising first step, it must now be followed by concerted, system-wide actions to protect them.

The developing brains of children are particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change, including rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, and air pollution.2 This is because of their rapid physical and brain development, vulnerable blood-brain barrier and placenta, immature immune systems, and limited ability to regulate body temperature.3

Brain health, encompassing both neurological and mental health, is crucial during these formative years, as it sets the foundation for future cognitive function and overall wellbeing. Brain capital, a framework for optimising brain health and brain skills for societal productivity and wellbeing, has a pivotal role in highlighting the need to protect and enhance brain health amid environmental challenges.4

Emerging evidence suggests that factors related to climate change, such as ambient heat exposure, …