Overview
- Analyzing 19,607 children aged three and four in Gambia, Georgia, Madagascar, Malawi, Palestine, and Sierra Leone, researchers linked hotter environments to weaker early learning outcomes.
- Children exposed to average maximum temperatures above 86 °F (30 °C) were 5% to 6.7% less likely to meet literacy and numeracy milestones than peers in the same regions and seasons exposed to temperatures below 78.8 °F.
- Negative effects were larger for children from economically disadvantaged households, those with limited access to clean water, and those living in urban areas.
- The study merged Early Childhood Development Index assessments with 2017–2020 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and monthly climate records to estimate heat exposure.
- Published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the paper—led by NYU’s Jorge Cuartas with co-authors from the Interamerican Development Bank and the University of Chicago—emphasizes the need for research to identify mechanisms and guide policy responses.