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Al Etihad
04-08-2025
- Climate
- Al Etihad
India's heat action plans insufficient for cooling cities: studies
4 Aug 2025 11:55 NEW DELHI (REUTERS)India's punishingly hot summer has cast a harsh light on its efforts to contend with extreme heat, with researchers and campaigners worried local governments are failing to grapple with the scale and complexity of rising which usually lasts from March to June in India, began early this year with an unprecedented heatwave in February, followed by above-normal temperatures in March and April, before an early monsoon season and heavy rainfall brought temporary Action Plans (HAPs), first introduced in 2013, are India's primary policy response to hotter temperatures that pose threats to public health, food security, and outdoor a pair of recent studies showed that most Indian cities are still relying on low-cost fixes, while long-term measures remain underfunded, uncoordinated or entirely "governments are acknowledging heat as a problem," said Aditya Valiathan Pillai, co-author of an analysis of cities' responses to extreme heat published by the Sustainable Futures Collaborative (SFC) think tank in March."But they have no imagination of what long-term climate resilience even looks like." Minimal Transformation More than half of Indian urban and rural districts, which are home to more than 76% of the population, or more than one billion people, are now at high or very high risk from extreme heat, according to a May study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a New Delhi-based central government has encouraged local governments to adopt HAPs, with more than 250 cities and districts in 23 heat-prone states devising the plans, although it is not risk cities, including New Delhi, Bhopal, Kolkata and Varanasi, that were surveyed by SFC reported 150 heat-related measures between 2018 and 2023, but most were seasonal or after heatwaves had struck, including setting up water stations, changing school schedules, and issuing built environments and other long-term solutions were rare and were focused on healthcare, such as training hospital staff or tracking heat deaths, SFC steps such as erecting climate-sensitive housing were largely absent, the study densest and poorest areas are often excluded from cooling tree-planting or water-body restoration efforts because of land ownership and infrastructure challenges, said Pillai.'You end up with greenery on the outskirts, not where it's needed,' he Garnaik, a campaigner with Greenpeace India, said many HAPs 'lack targeted investments or meaningful shifts in infrastructure and governance.'The plans were often created top-down with little community input, and heat is still viewed as mainly a health issue 'when it actually intersects with labour rights, housing, and urban planning,' she said.A study by Yale University in the United States in 2023 found 71% of nearly 11,000 Indians surveyed had experienced severe heatwaves in the previous year and 56% were 'very worried' about heat as the climate of the respondents supported national action, such as shifting to clean energy, rather than measures at the local may discourage local politicians from expending money and labor on longer-term strategies, Pillai India has begun setting aside more money for 2024, heatwaves were formally made eligible for project-based funding under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund, which has 320 billion rupees ($3.71 billion) to cover disasters between 2021 and these monies remains limited, partly because the fund's guidelines are still being finalised, said Vishwas Chitale, a climate resilience researcher at planners must "treat heat like a long-term design problem, not just an emergency," he pointed to Chennai, a city of 6.8 million people on India's southeast coast, where officials used district-level heat-risk data to decide where to build parks and bodies of water as part of its 20-year city master experts said a holistic approach to deal with ever-rising temperatures in India is still missing. 'I am still waiting to see a city that does it all: short-term and long-term measures, legally backed, publicly engaged and fully implemented,' said Pillai.
Time of India
04-08-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Why India's heat action plans aren't cooling cities
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel India's punishingly hot summer has cast a harsh light on its efforts to contend with extreme heat, with researchers and campaigners worried local governments are failing to grapple with the scale and complexity of rising which usually lasts from March to June in India, began early this year with an unprecedented heatwave in February, followed by above-normal temperatures in March and April, before an early monsoon season and heavy rainfall brought temporary Action Plans (HAPs), first introduced in 2013, are India's primary policy response to hotter temperatures that pose threats to public health, food security and outdoor a pair of recent studies showed that most Indian cities are still relying on low-cost fixes, while long-term measures remain underfunded, uncoordinated or entirely "governments are acknowledging heat as a problem," said Aditya Valiathan Pillai, co-author of an analysis of cities' responses to extreme heat published by Sustainable Futures Collaborative (SFC) think tank in March."But they have no imagination of what long-term climate resilience even looks like."More than half of Indian urban and rural districts, which are home to more 76% of the population, or more than 1 billion people, are now at high or very high risk from extreme heat, according to a May study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a New Delhi-based central government has encouraged local governments to adopt HAPs, with more than 250 cities and districts in 23 heat-prone states devising the plans, although it is not risk cities, including New Delhi, Bhopal, Kolkata and Varanasi, that were surveyed by SFC reported 150 heat-related measures between 2018 and 2023, but most were seasonal or after heatwaves had struck, including setting up water stations, changing school schedules and issuing built environments and other long-term solutions were rare and were focused on healthcare, like training hospital staff or tracking heat deaths, SFC steps such as erecting climate-sensitive housing were largely absent, the study densest and poorest areas are often excluded from cooling efforts tree-planting or water-body restoration because of land ownership and infrastructure challenges, said Pillai."You end up with greenery on the outskirts, not where it's needed," he Garnaik, a campaigner with Greenpeace India, said many HAPs "lack targeted investments or meaningful shifts in infrastructure and governance."The plans were often created top-down with little community input, and heat is still viewed as mainly a health issue "when it actually intersects with labour rights, housing and urban planning," she National Disaster Management Authority, as well as the agencies responsible for HAPs in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra states, did not respond to requests for comment. None of the city officials contacted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation agreed to an interview. LITTLE PUBLIC PRESSURE A study by Yale University in the United States in 2023 found 71% of nearly 11,000 Indians surveyed had experienced severe heatwaves in the previous year and 56% were "very worried" about heat as the climate of the respondents supported national action, like shifting to clean energy, rather than measures at the local may discourage local politicians from expending money and labour on longer-term strategies, Pillai India has begun setting aside more money for 2024, heatwaves were formally made eligible for project-based funding under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund, which has 320 billion rupees ($3.71 billion) to cover disasters between 2021 and these monies remains limited, partly because the fund's guidelines are still being finalised, said Vishwas Chitale, a climate resilience researcher at planners must "treat heat like a long-term design problem, not just an emergency," he pointed to Chennai, a city of 6.8 million people on India's southeast coast, where officials used district-level heat-risk data to decide where to build parks and bodies of water as part of its 20-year city master experts said a holistic approach to deal with ever-rising temperatures in India is still missing."I am still waiting to see a city that does it all: short-term and long-term measures, legally backed, publicly engaged and fully implemented," said Pillai.
Indian Express
14-06-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
NDMA advisory to protect India's informal workers from heatwave impact
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued an advisory on June 12 to protect informal workers from the impact of heat waves in Indian cities, with a special focus on women workers. According to the advisory, the Indian informal workforce comprises over 80 per cent of the urban workforce. These include street vendors, construction workers, rickshaw pullers, domestic workers, sanitation staff, delivery workers, and women gig workers. The advisory emphasises the recognition of these groups as a priority and vulnerable population, urging their inclusion in the Heat Action Plans (HAPs) and the allocation of a dedicated budget for their safety. It also calls for updating worker lists in consultation with labour departments, unions, and worker groups. The recent surge in temperatures has led to various health issues, including heat stroke, exhaustion, and dehydration, which in turn can increase the risk of accidents. Additionally, the pressure to meet deadlines often exacerbates stress and anxiety, prompting workers to continue working despite physical discomfort. The advisory recommends early morning or late evening shifts for outdoor workers with extended breaks from noon to 4 pm. A special focus should be on creating a safe work environment for women working during non-peak hours. Due to the high temperatures, the NDMA suggested safe drinking water facilities with shade and rest areas in high-footfall areas. The Authority has proposed a post-heatwave analysis and policy development, given the increased risk of heat-related illnesses. These include designing formal workspaces such as vending zones, construction areas with built shade and cooling infrastructure, and integrating climate-responsive design into master plans. Furthermore, multiple social security mechanisms have been issued. These include consideration of heat-stress-specific insurance under health insurance, compensation for lost wages or absenteeism due to heat, and providing temporary unemployment aid for climate-disrupted work among many.
India Gazette
07-06-2025
- Health
- India Gazette
India has taken a proactive and forward-thinking approach to extreme heat risk management under leadership of PM Modi: Dr P K Mishra
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, PK Mishra, has emphasised the urgent need to address extreme heat as a global crisis, echoing the call from the UN Secretary-General. Delivering the keynote address during the Special Session on Extreme Heat Risk Governance at Geneva on Friday, he underlined that rising temperatures pose a systemic risk to public health, economic stability, and ecological resilience, according to a PMO statement. India welcomes the UNDRR's initiative to advance the Common Framework for Extreme Heat Risk Governance as a platform for shared learning, guidance, and collaboration. Mishra emphasised that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has taken a proactive and forward-thinking approach to extreme heat risk management. He pointed out that India has moved beyond disaster response toward integrated preparedness and mitigation strategies. Since 2016, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has developed comprehensive national guidelines on heatwave management, revised in 2019, which laid the foundation for decentralised Heat Action Plans (HAPs). He acknowledged the pioneering Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan, which demonstrated how early warnings, inter-agency coordination, and community outreach can save lives. 'Over 250 cities and districts across 23 heat-prone states have operational Heat Action Plans, supported by NDMA's advisory, technical, and institutional mechanisms', stressed the Principal Secretary, underscoring that strengthened surveillance, hospital readiness, and awareness campaigns have significantly reduced heatwave-related mortality. Mishra highlighted that India's approach is whole-of-government and whole-of-society, engaging ministries from health, agriculture, urban development, labour, power, water, education, and infrastructure. He noted that public health institutes, research groups, civil society organisations, and universities are playing a crucial role in supporting local governments in improving heat action plans. 'Extreme heat deeply impacts communities, and India has actively incorporated traditional wisdom and local experiences into its response', stressed Dr Mishra. He noted that schools have become catalysts for behavioural change, educating children about climate resilience. He also emphasised that hospitals and primary health centres must be strengthened to ensure swift and effective emergency responses. Outlining India's transition from a preparedness-only approach to long-term heatwave mitigation, including cool roof technologies, passive cooling centres, urban greening, and the revival of traditional water bodies, Shri Mishra affirmed that India is integrating Urban Heat Island (UHI) assessments into city planning. Mishra announced a major policy shift, stating that National and State Disaster Mitigation Funds (SDMF) can now be used for heatwave mitigation. This allows local governments, private sector entities, NGOs, and individuals to co-finance prevention and mitigation projects, fostering shared responsibility. Mishra acknowledged key challenges that remain and called for a global focus on developing a localized heat-humidity index based on real-time data to enhance early warning systems, advancing affordable and culturally appropriate building technologies and passive cooling innovations, and addressing equity concerns, as extreme heat disproportionately affects women, outdoor workers, the elderly, and children. 'Heatwaves are transboundary and systemic risks, particularly for densely populated urban areas', stressed Dr Mishra, urging the international community to enhance technological collaboration, data sharing, and joint research on heat resilience. He called for the Common Framework to provide accessible knowledge, research, and practical solutions, alongside institutional and financial support mechanisms. As per the statement, Mishra affirmed India's full commitment to sharing its expertise, technical capacities, and institutional strengths with global partners, ensuring a resilient, coordinated, and proactive global response to extreme heat.(ANI)
News18
07-06-2025
- Health
- News18
India Proactive On Extreme Heat Risk Management: PM's Principal Secretary
Last Updated: Mishra emphasised that India's approach to heatwave management is a whole-of-government and whole-of-society effort, involving multiple ministries and stakeholders. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr PK Mishra, has emphasised the urgent need to address extreme heat as a global crisis, echoing the call from the UN Secretary-General. While addressing a Special Session on Extreme Heat Risk Governance at Geneva on Friday, he underlined that rising temperatures posing a systemic risk to public health, economic stability, and ecological resilience, and India welcomes the UNDRR's initiative to advance the Common Framework for Extreme Heat Risk Governance as a platform for shared learning, guidance, and collaboration. Mishra emphasised that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has taken a proactive and forward-thinking approach to extreme heat risk management. He pointed out that India has moved beyond disaster response toward integrated preparedness and mitigation strategies. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) developed national guidelines on heatwave management in 2016, revised in 2019, facilitating decentralised Heat Action Plans (HAPs). He acknowledged that the Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan showcased the effectiveness of early warnings, inter-agency coordination, and community outreach in saving lives. 'Over 250 cities and districts across 23 heat-prone states have operational Heat Action Plans, supported by NDMA's advisory, technical, and institutional mechanisms", stressed the Principal Secretary, underscoring that strengthened surveillance, hospital readiness, and awareness campaigns have significantly reduced heatwave-related mortality. Mishra emphasised that India's approach to heatwave management is a whole-of-government and whole-of-society effort, involving multiple ministries and stakeholders. He highlighted the crucial role of public health institutes, research groups, civil society organisations, and universities in supporting local governments to enhance heat action plans. 'Extreme heat deeply impacts communities, and India has actively incorporated traditional wisdom and local experiences into its response", stressed Dr Mishra. He noted that schools have become catalysts for behavioural change, educating children about climate resilience. He also emphasised that hospitals and primary health centres must be strengthened to ensure swift and effective emergency responses. Outlining India's transition from a preparedness-only approach to long-term heatwave mitigation, including cool roof technologies, passive cooling centres, urban greening, and the revival of traditional water bodies, Mishra affirmed that India is integrating Urban Heat Island (UHI) assessments into city planning. Mishra announced a significant policy change, allowing National and State Disaster Mitigation Funds to be utilised for heatwave mitigation. This enables local governments, private sector entities, NGOs, and individuals to co-finance projects, promoting shared responsibility for prevention and mitigation efforts. He acknowledged key challenges that remain and called for a global focus on developing a localized heat-humidity index based on real-time data to enhance early warning systems, advancing building technologies and passive cooling innovations that are affordable and culturally appropriate and addressing equity concerns, as extreme heat disproportionately affects women, outdoor workers, the elderly, and children. 'Heatwaves are transboundary and systemic risks, particularly for densely populated urban areas", stressed Dr Mishra, urging the international community to enhance technological collaboration, data sharing, and joint research on heat resilience. He called for the Common Framework to provide accessible knowledge, research, and practical solutions, alongside institutional and financial support mechanisms. Mishra reaffirmed India's commitment to sharing its expertise, technical capabilities, and institutional strengths with global partners to foster a resilient, coordinated, and proactive global response to extreme heat. First Published: June 07, 2025, 15:13 IST
