Extreme heat putting births in jeopardy, U.N. climate chief warns

Nadi, Fiji — Extreme heat is increasingly linked to problems such as premature births or underweight babies, the U.N. climate chief warned on Monday as Fiji hosted talks ahead of a major summit.This week's meetings in the city of Nadi and on the atoll nation of Tuvalu are aimed at drawing the world's attention to life on the frontline of climate change in the Pacific. They are a precursor to the larger U.N.-sponsored global climate summit -- known as COP31 -- to be held in Turkey next month. Highlighting the need for urgent action, United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell cited a new survey showing more than two-thirds of health professionals across five continents had seen complications caused by intense heat in the past five years. "Climate-driven extreme heat during pregnancy is increasingly linked to premature birth, stillbirth, low birth weight, and maternal complications," he said. United Nations Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell in February 2026. Yasin AKGUL / AFP via Getty Images The Plan International charity said in a separate report on Monday that climate disasters were also increasing the risk of child marriage and teen pregnancies, in part through their ...