Tackling rising heatwaves in cities

May 2024 has been particularly severe for India, as the country endured one of the harshest heatwaves in recent memory.

- AMIT KAPOOR & BIBEK DEBROY

Temperatures were reported to be 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than ever recorded. The climate crisis, exacerbated by El Niño, has pushed temperatures to unbearable levels, resulting in fatalities and highlighting the urgent need for climate-resilient and smart solutions across all sectors to prevent more damage.

As the global urban population grows, more people are exposed to extreme weather conditions, which disproportionately affect the vulnerable and marginalised communities. According to a study conducted by C40 (Cities Climate Leadership Group), a coalition of 96 cities worldwide committed to combating climate risks and implementing urban solutions, over 350 cities are currently at risk of extreme heat conditions, with this number expected to rise to around 970 cities by 2050. The same study highlights that over 26 million people living in poverty in cities are exposed to extreme heat (roughly over 230 cities). By 2050, this number will increase to nearly 215 million people (roughly 490 cities).

Additionally, Unicef reports that approximately 560 million children are already exposed to frequent heatwaves, which will increase to 2 billion by 2050. Such extreme conditions indicate that individuals currently exposed to high temperatures will need to adapt to even more severe heat in the near future, while those living in traditionally cooler areas will experience temperatures that they are not accustomed to. Therefore, city planners must prepare for these events to ensure that people endure less climatic stress.