As the frequency and intensity of heat waves surge globally, India has taken a commendable lead in addressing the climate emergency through a call for international collaboration to develop a localised, real-time heat-humidity index. The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister articulated this vision during a special session on Extreme Heat Risk Governance in Geneva. His message is clear: climate extremes, particularly heat waves, are transboundary, systemic threats that require a unified and proactive response. India’s advocacy is not just diplomatic rhetoric but is backed by substantial groundwork. The Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan, cited as a pioneering model, exemplifies how early warnings, multi-agency coordination, and community outreach can significantly reduce mortality. The expansion of such Heat Action Plans to over 250 cities and districts under the National Disaster Management Authority underscores the country’s shift from reactive disaster management to anticipatory governance.
What sets India’s approach apart is its holistic nature. Ministries spanning health, labour, education, and urban development, alongside civil society, academic institutions, and local Governments, contribute to an integrated framework. This whole-of-society strategy acknowledges that the impacts of extreme heat are not limited to public health but also strain infrastructure, reduce labour productivity, and deepen socio-economic inequalities. However, India’s call for a global, real-time heat-humidity index marks a strategic step forward. Unlike temperature alone, a heat-humidity index accounts for human thermal comfort, offering more accurate risk assessments. Such an index would enhance early warning systems, inform urban planning, and facilitate the design of affordable passive cooling technologies-particularly critical for developing countries facing urban heat island effects.
India’s proposal for a Common Framework for Extreme Heat Risk Governance, supported by the UN, positions it as a leader in climate resilience advocacy. Global cooperation in data-sharing, technology transfer, and research can help create region-specific solutions, ensuring that the vulnerabilities of densely populated, low-income communities are not overlooked. India’s proactive stance reflects a pragmatic yet visionary approach to climate adaptation. The climate crisis transcends borders and sectors; so must our solutions. A global consensus on extreme heat governance, grounded in scientific innovation and localised action, is no longer a choice-it is an urgent necessity.
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