Scorching Summers

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As smaller Indian cities grapple with record-breaking heat, rising temperatures in scorching summers pose severe risks. In Nāgrika’s Climate Change Series, Part 2 tracks how these cities are heating up, often unnoticed, while exposing cracks in policy, data, and infrastructure that leave millions vulnerable to a warming world that’s no longer just a future threat.

Report Summary & Key Insights

Rising Temperatures and Heatwaves:

• The report highlights a significant global and national increase in temperatures, with the average rate of temperature rise doubling since 1981. Cities worldwide, including in India, have experienced extreme temperatures, with some reaching as high as 53.6°C.

  
  

• In India, small and midsized cities have recorded unprecedented high temperatures, with 2023 being the second hottest year in 122 years. The report also discusses the increase in the frequency and intensity of heat waves, highlighting the fact that the duration of heat waves has extended significantly over the years.

Impact on Small and Midsized Cities:

• Small and midsized cities in India are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of rising temperatures due to their inadequate infrastructure and resources to effectively mitigate and manage extreme heat.

  
  

• These cities have seen a significant rise in their annual average maximum temperatures, with an observed increase of over 9°C in the past decade compared to their normal baseline temperatures.

  
  

• The report also highlights the fact that these cities are experiencing higher temperatures for longer durations and are approaching dangerous levels of heat and humidity.

Socio-Economic Impacts and Policy Responses:

• The socio-economic impacts of rising temperatures and heatwaves are profound, including increased mortality rates, especially among vulnerable populations like the elderly, and significant economic losses due to reduced labour hours and income.

  
  

• The report also discusses further aggravation of drought conditions and water stress due to rising temperatures and inadequate rainfall.

  
  

• It also highlights some of the policy responses that some cities have developed. For example, some cities have devised Heat Action Plans to mitigate the effects of heatwaves, although the effectiveness and implementation of these plans vary.

  
  

• The report also highlights significant gaps in weather monitoring and data availability, particularly in small and midsized cities, which hamper effective local planning and response to heatwaves.

Click on the link below to read the report.