IN A warming world, urbanisation has a profound impact on heat. As a city's population grows, infrastructure needs to be developed to cater to its requirements.
Cities contribute more than two-thirds of global carbon dioxide emissions, according the UN Environment Programme. However, their environmental impact goes beyond emissions. As a city grows, the way buildings, roads and railways are laid out; the density, height and size of buildings, and the materials used; the amount of green spaces and water bodies; and level of human activities such as use of vehicles and airconditioners together determine how much heat is retained in the immediate area.
When released, this heat raises the temperatures of the nearby atmosphere. As the grey infrastructure gets denser and more concentrated, it erodes the natural spaces that act as heat sinks and keep the environment cool (see 'Influencing factors'). If left unchecked, such development could create an urban heat island effect, with cities recording high temperatures that can adversely impact the health of people, and also potentially be fatal.
To analyse the status of urban heat islands in the country and establish the ongoing heat burden that is a result of their development, Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) conducted a study in nine cities-Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, Nagpur, Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bhubaneswar.
These cities, which are of different sizes and are located in different climatic zones, show that the problem of heat is not restricted to a specific kind of climate or geography.
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Vision 2030
Economic growth must take into account needs of energy transition, climate mitigation, with action aligned as per India's 2030 climate goals
FIX OUR FOOD
Chemical-dependent farming, lax labelling laws, rising anti-microbial resistance must top the agenda
BATTLE THE CAR BULGE
Clean, affordable, integrated and accessible public transport the only solution
CONSERVE NOW
Disregard for biodiversity conservation over the past two decades needs immediate redressal
SCRAP THE DUMP
Disincentivise garbage dumping, invest in behavioural change
PLAN THEM COOL
As urban India turns into a heat trap, the government must focus on improving cities' liveability
THINK LONG-TERM
India needs continued emphasis on flagship programmes, aligned to long-term planning that focusses on water security and circular economy in a climate-risked era
OVERHAUL OVERDUE
Hold polluting industries accountable for public health risks, environmental hazards, climate change; provide them support for green transition
LOOK BEYOND DUST
Reinvent National Clean Air Programme to focus on fine particulate matter and trans-boundary pollution
IT'S NOW OR NEVER
Clean energy sectors need demand-driven markets and domestic industries that can cater to the entire value chain