Hello,
As much of India is currently grappling with extreme heat - with over 20 cities experiencing temperatures exceeding 42°C and many facing heatwaves - we at SFC have been asking the question: What policy changes should India make to address extreme heat in the future?
In our new research, we analysed the state of heat action plan implementation in nine cities across nine states with very high levels of future heat risk, covering 11 per cent of India’s urban population. We used CMIP6 climate model outputs to identify these cities. We interviewed 88 government officials from city, district, and state governments across a variety of departments who are responsible for implementing heat action measures, to understand how they are responding to present and future heat.
We found that cities, by and large, prioritise short-term, response-oriented measures to heatwaves over long-term solutions aimed at reducing exposure to extreme heat. Inconsistent and weakly targeted long-term actions suggest that India is likely to face a growing risk of mortality from heatwaves in the coming years. This report is the first systematic, multi-city analysis of heat action implementation in India. We co-authored the report with scholars from King’s College London, Harvard University, the University of California, Berkeley, and Princeton University.
We also published two articles in the January special issue of EPW on the evolution of Indian climate politics and policy, and another on pollution regulation in India, focusing on institutional and legislative conundrums. Additionally, we have entered into a partnership with the Chhattisgarh government to integrate climate considerations into state policies, and we are collaborating with the UNDP and the Himachal Pradesh government on a climate-focused human development report.
We look forward to your feedback! https://mailchi.mp/sustainablefutures/quarterly-update-january-march-2025