ABSTRACT Developed by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and collaborators, the Children's Climate Risk Index (CCRI) is an important global framework to assess and reduce the impact of climate risks on children. Reframing climate change as a child rights issue, the CCRI functions as an evidence‐based policy instrument to translate the normative principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child into national and international actions. This article analyses the conceptual, methodological and policy features of the CCRI, alongside its integration with national and international policies and actions, including UNICEF's initiatives. It highlights the CCRI's potential to guide disaster risk reduction, social protection and education policies that empower children's resilience to climate risks. Some limitations of the CCRI, such as restricted institutional inclusiveness, limited child participation and data gaps, are also identified. Based on these findings, this article proposes future directions for strengthening the CCRI and calls for stronger scientific and policy efforts to advance child‐centred climate knowledge and governance.
Liu et al. (2026) studied this question.