Paloma Escudero, communication director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), highlighted that the figure is the highest in the last three decades.

“They are at high risk from a multitude of dangers, including death by drowning, disease, lack of drinking water, malnutrition, interruption in learning and violence,” Escudero said during the climate summit.

The official stressed that there is an unprecedented level of flooding on the planet, which in turn has increased the threats to minors.

“Our children are already suffering on a scale that their parents never did,” she said.

The aftermath of the rains is often more deadly for children than the extreme weather events that caused the floods, she stated.

Escudero regretted that minors who live in most affected places in the world are drowning due to (climate change-related) inaction, and quote “it is enough, as many lives are at stake, and infants require urgent help”.

jrr/llp/lam/rob