Offsetting the heat challenge
India needs to make fundamental changes in policies to adapt to and minimise heat losses
In yet another reminder of the expanding and deepening footprint of the climate crisis, India is facing a nationwide surge in heatwaves. The early heatwaves that began on March 11 have now impacted 15 states and Union Territories and are likely to intensify till May 2, according to the India Meteorological Department. On Thursday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 43.5 degrees Celsius, the highest April temperature in 12 years. Surprisingly, after Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, a favourite destination for summer holidaymakers, has been the most affected by heatwaves — with 21 heatwave and severe heatwave days. This year’s spike in heatwaves is due to “anticyclones” and the absence of rain-bearing Western disturbances. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned that temperatures are rising rapidly in the country and much earlier than usual.
But none of this should shock us. In 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that India would be facing increasing heatwaves and droughts due to the climate crisis. Another report released in October, said that heatwaves in India are likely to “last 25 times longer by 2036-2065” if carbon emissions remain high.
Heatwaves have enormous impacts on health, agriculture, water availability, and power. Therefore, the answer to the challenge has to be seen as a larger governance issue, with the response being multidisciplinary and inter-ministerial. India has a heat action plan, and sends out weather alerts and advises people on dos and don’ts during the heatwave days, but such plans will not be enough to tackle the heat threat. Instead, India needs to make fundamental changes in policies to adapt to and minimise heat losses. For example, policymakers will have to address issues such as: Do cities, which are turning into heat islands, need dedicated officials to address extreme heat; what kind of blue and green infrastructure will cities need to offset rising heat; how can communities be encouraged to participate in environmental restoration; should school sessions and work timings change since summers are setting in early; how can housing for the poor be retrofitted with cool roofs, and what kind of heat-tolerant varieties of crops must be sown to offset losses to agriculturists and secure food supplies? While effecting multi-sectoral policy changes may not be easy, delays in taking the right climate-sensitive steps will only create a whole new set of problems for the country in the coming years.