Series of infographics and data visualizations to appear in Save the Children climate report

Save the Children

Presenting climate change’s unprecedented impact on children

Our work includes:

Client focus:

Data visualizations translate complex data into compelling advocacy tools

For Save the Children’s Born into the Climate Crisis 2 report, we designed figures that make the stakes of climate inaction—and the life-saving potential of action—clear. By turning abstract numbers into relatable statistics, the graphics show how climate change threatens millions of children and makes the data personal for policymakers and the public alike.

The report was covered by 175+ media outlets globally, and related research published in Nature (featuring adapted figures) has received over 92,000 downloads and ranks in the top 5% of research outputs scored by Altmetric.

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Three pages from Born into the Climate Crisis 2 report showing a bubble chart, waffle chart, and stacked bar chart that illustrate the consequences of climate change under different warming scenarios.

Clear, compelling visuals spotlight the impact of climate change on children and help policymakers, advocates, and the public grasp the scale of the crisis.

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Three bubble charts compare the share of children in different countries facing lifetime heatwave exposure under +1.5°C, +2.7°C, and +3.5°C warming. The number of affected children and countries rises sharply with higher warming scenarios.
Annotations (in blue) use plain language to make complex data approachable, helping viewers grasp the nuances behind each visualization.
Stacked bar chart compares how many children are likely to face six climate extremes (heatwaves, crop failures, floods, cyclones, wildfires, droughts) under +1.5°C, +2.7°C, and +3.5°C warming. Heatwaves are the most common, and the number of children affected rises across all extremes as warming increases.
This chart compares the percentage of least and most vulnerable groups affected by heatwaves in 1960 and 2020, highlighting social and economic factors that increase vulnerability.
Timeline from 1960–2100 shows three warming scenarios (+1.5°C, +2.7°C, +3.5°C). A lifespan for a child born in 2020 highlights how, by age 80 in 2100, temperature outcomes differ sharply across the scenarios.
Climate stripes from 1900–2100 are overlaid with two lifespans: a grandparent born in 1960 and a grandchild born in 2020. The comparison shows how each generation experiences climate differently. Photos and icons below illustrate extremes today’s children are likely to face, including heatwaves, crop failures, floods, cyclones, droughts, and wildfires.
Blending data visualizations, illustration, and photography turns data into stories that spark empathy and convey recognizable climate scenarios to readers on a human level.
Icon chart showing predicted child exposure to heatwaves under +1.5°C, +2.7°C, and +3.5°C warming. If warming is limited to 1.5°C, about 40 out of 100 children would be protected.
The equivalent outlook for 100 children helps the content feel more personal (100 is a number that feels much ‘closer to home’ than the millions impacted)

The visuals were designed to balance urgency with clarity—making the scale of the crisis feel more personal, while using positive framing to avoid overwhelming audiences.

These visualizations interpret complex climate data into human-centered narratives that support understanding and decision-making. By framing impacts through groups of 100 children and across generations, the work makes global projections more tangible and personally relevant.

Building on visual approaches we developed for the UN IPCC (the generational climate stripes), the designs compare warming scenarios over a child’s lifetime. Plain-language annotations guide interpretation, balancing urgency with clarity while highlighting both risk and the life-saving potential of action.

A powerful message is one thing, but we all know a powerful image can say a lot more than words—we are truly grateful to have worked with Background Stories!

Marie Cavitte, Climatologist and Glaciologist
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

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