URBAN HEAT ISLANDS
Few cities have effective heat action plans: Report
Cities lack heatwave preparedness, with limited resources allocated to mitigate extreme heat impact. Recommendations include redefining heat waves based on 'feels like' temperature and setting new warm night thresholds. Implementing local thresholds for early warning systems, considering factors like the urban heat island effect, is crucial to combat escalating heatwave challenges and prevent heat-related deaths.
Counter-questions for the asking
India's growing population, coupled with higher disposable incomes and consumption, has already begun to devastate our carefully constructed cocoons without our realising it. Competitive manufacturing (leveraging economies of scale, procurement, branding and digitalisation) may be enticing more people to consume more (double effect), accelerating planet-stripping.
Is climate change leading to frequent and high intensity heat waves in North America?
A study by a group of scientists have found that climate change caused by anthropogenic factors has caused an increase in the number of high intensity heat waves in North America. This serves as an early warning for all the stakeholders to tackle the issue of increased emissions.
Delhi Heatwave: What's causing the extreme temperatures in the national capital?
Delhi is facing an extended period of intense heat, with the IMD issuing alerts for high temperatures. The city has experienced eight consecutive days of heatwave conditions, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Factors such as dry westerly winds, urban heat island effect, and global warming contribute to the severity of the heat. Relief is expected later in the week, but until then, residents are advised to take precautions against the scorching heat.
Sweltering heat, flash floods, 'disappearing' spring season - India's weather story so far in 2024
Extreme weather events in the first five months of 2024 in north India have caused deaths, floods, and landslides in the northeast, with a spring season that may soon disappear from the calendar.
Climate change and mental health: How extreme heat can have devastating impact on those living with mental illness
Hospital admissions for mental health spike during heat waves, exacerbated by extreme heat. Mental health issues can worsen in hot weather, affecting vulnerable populations like those with schizophrenia.
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Urbanisation led to 60% more night-time warming in Indian cities than non-urban areas: Study
A study by IIT Bhubaneswar found that urbanization has led to 60% more night-time warming in over 140 Indian cities compared to surrounding non-urban areas. Cities like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Rajkot were most affected, with Delhi-NCR and Pune also experiencing significant warming. The urban heat island effect, where concrete and asphalt store and release heat, is the main cause. T
Large parts of India swelter under intense heat, 37 cities record temperatures over 45 deg C
The intense heat wave sweeping across large parts of India has led to soaring temperatures and challenging conditions for residents and authorities alike. Maharashtra's Akola has imposed Section 144 until May 31 to prohibit public gatherings, while a 'red' warning has been issued for several states including Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi, indicating a very high likelihood of heat-related illnesses.
No respite from heat wave in large parts of India, Barmer sizzles at 48.8 degrees C
Barmer was followed by Phalodi with maximum temperature at 48.6 degrees degrees, Fatehpur at 47.6 degrees Celsius, Jaisalmer at 47.5 degrees Celsius, Jodhpur at 47.4 degrees Celsius, Jalore at 47.3 degrees Celsius, Kota at 47.2 degrees Celsius and Churu at 47 degrees Celsius, the Met Centre said.
Brutal heat in large parts of India; temperatures set to rise further, says IMD
Official data showed that at least 24 places in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh recorded maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or above on Wednesday.
Cruel Summer: Rethinking how to live, work in a world that is getting warmer
As this year’s summer, with its extended heat waves and record temperatures, warns, how to adapt to a warmer world is no longer a hypothetical question. A new study by World Weather Attribution says climate change has made a 30-day heat wave in South Asia 45 times more likely and 0.85o C hotter. Experts say we need to rethink the kind of houses we live in and offices we construct, how we grow our crops and the way we look at the impact of heat on our bodies, even as we tackle reducing the use of fossil fuels.
Northwest India endures punishing heat for 2nd day on trot
Northwest India, including Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, experiences a severe heatwave with temperatures surpassing 45 degrees Celsius for the second day. The India Meteorological Department issues red warnings for Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and west Rajasthan, and orange alerts for east Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, highlighting high health concerns for vulnerable populations.
Lok Sabha elections: Fatal heat waves are testing India's ability to protect 1.4 billion people
Kolkata faces extreme heat and heat waves with inadequate measures to protect residents. Commuters seek refuge in a glass-walled bus shelter with malfunctioning air conditioners. Local authorities' plans to install cooled cabins have not been fully realized. Mayor Firhad Hakim expresses concerns about the city's lack of heat resilience efforts and high death toll.
Bengaluru hit with unusual weather; records its 4th hottest day in April
Bengaluru is experiencing an unusually hot summer, with temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius, the fourth hottest April day on record. The India Meteorological Department predicts partly cloudy skies from April 29 to May 3, with rain expected on May 2 and 3. The elevated temperatures are attributed to El Niño, anticyclone, and a ridgeline passing through certain latitudes.
Lok Sabha elections: Severe heat wave predicted in many states during second phase of polling
Voters endure searing heat in Lok Sabha elections as IMD warns of heatwave in multiple states. Relief may come with winds, rain. Urban areas face warm nights. La Nina could impact rainfall for agricultural needs.
View: This summer is important but... don't make voting too hot
India is facing an exceptional summer due to climate change, with above-normal temperatures predicted and longer heatwaves from April to June. Climate change has led to increased global temperatures and heatwaves becoming more common worldwide. Heatwaves have been linked to increased gross mortality rates, with India experiencing a 55% rise in deaths due to extreme heat during 2000-04 and 2017-21. In 2021, exposure to heat caused a loss of 167.2 billion potential labor hours, resulting in a loss of incomes equivalent to 5.4% of the country's GDP.
Future-proofing the cities: A glimpse into future of urban development
India's urban narrative is marked by a significant demographic shift. With United Nations projections indicating that nearly half of India's population will reside in urban areas by 2047.
Greenless, treeless cities can't be modern
The Delhi High Court has asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) why it cannot acquire land to plant trees as it reminded the agency to increase the city's green cover. The court recognised that a clean environment, which accommodates existing developments, is essential to public good. Climate change makes it imperative the city reshapes its developmental priorities and increases blue-green infrastructure, such as trees, gardens, and water bodies, as outlined in the 2041 masterplan. Delhi is battling air pollution, seasonal heat islands, and a decrease in forest cover that, though small, signals a dangerous trend.
Humidity can complicate heat stress burden for Global South
Humidity can negate the cooling benefits of green spaces in cities, according to Yale School of the Environment researchers. In dry climates, urban residents are less heat-stressed than rural citizens, but in the humid “global south”, the opposite is true. Xuhui Lee, meteorology professor at Yale, calls this effect the “urban dry island”, created by the fact that urban land is less humid than surrounding rural areas.
What are heat waves, El Nino and how does it affect agriculture and your pocket?
Wheat is the main rabi crop in India. The government has projected a record wheat output of 112.2 million tonnes for the 2022-23 crop year (July-June). India is the second-largest producer of wheat, and is one of the largest exporters of food for the world.
India's heat action plans fail to identify and target vulnerable groups: Report
March 2022 was the warmest ever and the third driest in 121 years. The year also saw the country's third warmest April, eleventh warmest August and eighth warmest September since 1901. Studies show India is one of the most exposed and vulnerable countries to heat.
India's ticking heat bomb is testing limits of human survival
The national weather office has forecast rising temperatures in the coming weeks after India experienced its hottest February since 1901. That’s stoked concerns that there will be a repeat of last year’s record heat wave, which caused widespread crop damage and triggered hours-long blackouts. While no country is untouched by global warming, there are multiple reasons that make India an outlier.
View: Can urban beautification projects go beyond visual appeal?
In India, small-scale beautification projects are driven by local decision makers. Such projects take the shape of ornate concrete fountains and commemorative sculptures that then get placed in traffic islands, defeating the very purpose of a traffic island that is meant to serve as a pedestrian refuge space on busy roads. Beautification without a function or purpose is the antithesis of urban development
Why architects are resurrecting traditional building techniques to beat the heat
In Nigeria, for example, people have long used biomimicry to copy the style of local flora and fauna as they design their homes.
What it’s like to live through India’s nonstop heat wave
While New Delhi’s growing middle class may have access to air-conditioned offices, shopping malls and cars, there are millions of migrant workers who make up 40% of its population that have spent these extreme days without any access to relief. Even for those who can afford cooling devices, the threat of blackouts from surging power demand remains a constant worry.
Take the heat off me
The solution to minimising urban heat islands lies in the way in which we plan, design and construct our buildings - not in the production of more air-conditioners.
Most cities in India turning into "urban heat islands": Study
The study, 'Anthropogenic forcing exacerbating the urban heat islands in India', noted that the relatively warmer temperatures in urban areas, compared to suburbs, have potential health hazards due to heat waves apart from pollution, an IIT-KGP statement said on Friday.
Urban heat island burns hole in fog over Delhi
Urban heat island refers to the higher temperature seen in a city compared with adjacent rural areas because of intense concrete development and reduced green cover. Warmer temperatures help fog dissipate.
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