College students cover themselves with cloths to avoid the sun while stepping out on the road in the scorching heat, in Bhubaneswar. , Photo credit: Biswaranjan Raut
Nearly 90% of India is in the “danger zone” from heatwave impacts and almost all of Delhi is at risk of severe heatwave impacts, a study published on 19 April said, according to its most recent State Action Plan for Climate Change. is not reflected. in peer review PLOS Climate,
On 16 April, 13 people attending a public function died of heat stroke in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. While February and March saw record-setting temperatures, deaths were reported even when temperatures were not skyrocketing and people were exposed to extreme humidity.
A heatwave is defined as a period of abnormally hot weather with higher than normal temperatures that usually lasts for three or more days.
In India, heat waves are generally experienced during the March–June period and there are on average two or three heat waves per season.
The heatwave is mainly observed over two regions – central and north-west India and coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Climate change and global warming, current research suggests, have increased the likelihood of heatwaves over the past three decades.
The study by Ramit Debnath of the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, and colleagues also suggested that climate change-induced heat waves could hinder India’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Can
India is committed to achieving the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as eradicating poverty, promoting good health and well-being, and decent work and economic growth.
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To analyze India’s climate vulnerability, and how climate change could affect SDG progress, the scientists compared India’s Heat Index (HI) with its Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI), which measures socioeconomic, livelihood and There is a composite index using various indicators. Biophysical factor.
They used a publicly available dataset on state-level climate vulnerability indicators from the Center’s National Data and Analytics Platform to classify the severity categories.
The researchers then compared India’s progress on the SDGs over 20 years (2001–2021) with extreme weather-related mortality from 2001–2021. They found that heatwaves undermine SDG progress more than previously estimated and that current assessment metrics do not fully capture the nuances of India’s vulnerabilities to heatwaves.
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“This study suggests that heat waves make more Indian states vulnerable to climate change than previously estimated by CVI. Heat waves are more frequent and frequent in India and the Indian subcontinent,” the researchers said in a statement. Since climate change is long-lasting, it is high time climate experts and policymakers re-evaluate the metrics used to assess a country’s climate vulnerability.