Few cities have specific strategies effective heat action plans: Report

INDIA UNDER HEATWAVE INFLUENCE

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Only a small fraction of cities with heat action plans have mapped vulnerable populations and developed specific strategies to mitigate the impact of extreme heat, according to an analysis published on Thursday.

The International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST) assessed the heat action plans of nine cities and five districts, which revealed that none had allocated separate resources or mentioned financial allocations in their plans.

The environmental think tank also recommended redefining heat waves based on the “feels like” temperature or heat index and developing new thresholds for warm nights.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines require cities to develop local thresholds for early warning systems, considering factors such as the built environment, slum population, and urban heat island effect.