Integrated action needed to tackle urban heatwaves

Heatwaves are characterized by hot weather and higher than normal daily temperatures that can last for a few days to months.

- GOVIND SINGH AND ANIKA SINGH JODHA

Heatwave events are on the rise; many parts of India are facing more frequent, intense and longer-lasting heatwaves. Heatwaves have also become one of the deadliest forms of extreme weather events.

As per official figures, 3,798 people lost their lives due to heatwaves in India between 2018 and 2022. According to a report by the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health, 48,156 suspected heatstroke cases were reported in 2024 and there were 269 suspected and 161 confirmed heatstroke deaths. The actual toll may be higher due to underreporting, delayed health effects and because heatwave deaths are difficult to assess.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an international scientific body, has long predicted that heatwaves will intensify in the future. As per their assessment, human activities have more than doubled the probability of heatwave events in some regions. According to a 2022 note by the World Meteorological Organisation, the 2022 India-Pakistan heatwave was "30 times more likely" due to climate change. Such predictions have become a reality and climate change-induced heatwaves are frequently affecting cities and rural communities. Heatwaves, accompanied with elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, are impacting agriculture and reducing crop yields. Their direct impact on humans is more pronounced in urban areas which have high vulnerable populations.