RISING EPISODES and increasing intensity of heatwaves have become quite common and a major problem in Indian cities. The threat is twofold: big cities are finding it difficult to adjust to the changing climate and need liveability improvements. Small cities, on the other hand, are on the brink of explosive growth and require "heat-proof" development. While big cities need retrofits to combat the "heat island" effect, small cities need heat-resilient master plans and by-laws.
Every city has a unique combination of natural and humanmade infrastructure and the activities resulting from them. Closely packed buildings, for instance, will generate shorter trips and hence lesser vehicular emissions that pollute the air and trap heat. More greenery and waterbodies will sequester carbon emissions and cool the ambient environment. This combination of green spaces, waterbodies and buildings is called the urban form of a city, which plays a crucial role in its heat resilience and liveability.
In 2022, Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) began a study to understand how different urban forms react to heat. The study, which covers 10 cities including Pune, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Jaipur, is ongoing. But data and trends evident so far suggest steps that could help urban India fight heat.
Urban form can be broken down into and understood through physical parameters. Its key parameters include urban morphology, aspect ratio, sky view factor (SVF), blue/ green infrastructure (B/GI), floor area ratio (FAR)/ floor space index (FSI) and street orientation. At Pune, CSE recorded these parameters at 49 locations identified as the city's "heat pockets" areas where land surface temperature (LST) soars above 45°C. This is what the readings show:
この記事は Down To Earth の August 16, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Down To Earth の August 16, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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
VISION 2030
Economic growth must take into account needs of energy transition, climate mitigation, with action aligned as per India's 2030 climate goals