Extreme heatwaves affect 2/3 of Western European children

According to Save the Children, two-thirds of children in Western Europe were exposed to extreme heatwaves between January 1 and July 14, 2026, three times the figure for all of 2025 and the highest since 2003. In Germany, more children were affected in the first half of 2026 than in the previous five years combined. In the UK, 10 million children (three-quarters of the child population) experienced extreme heat, exceeding any single year in the past three decades. Schools in France and the UK closed in June to protect children. Save the Children warns that final 2026 figures will likely be more severe, as the data includes cooler months. The organization calls for accelerated climate action, including phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to renewable energy, to limit global warming to 1.5°C and protect children's futures.