No one is ready to face unprecedented heat this summer: Sunita Narain

New Delhi: India is grappling with unprecedented heat this summer and no one is prepared for the level of warming we are experiencing, said eminent environmentalist Sunita Narain, emphasizing the need for a heat index and a complete overhaul of the way modern cities are designed.

During an interaction with PTI editors, Narain, director general of the Center for Science and Environment (CSE), said the scorching heat in Indian regions is a result of the natural El Nino phenomenon – an unusual warming of the surface of the ocean. in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean – and climate change.

“No one is prepared. Let’s be very clear. 2023 was the hottest year on record globally. We broke all records over the last 45 days with a (series of) uninterrupted temperatures above 40 degrees. This is climate change. This phenomenon is worsened by the decline of the El Nino phenomenon (2023-24). This means that we really need to act together. “, she said.

Narain highlighted the need to develop a heat index, which measures the sensation of temperature on the human body when relative humidity is combined with air temperature.

“We need a heat index similar to the air quality index we have on our phones. The AQI tells you the level of air pollution and its impact on your health. This link “Remember, heat is not just about temperature, it’s also about humidity,” she said.

The Indian Meteorological Department started publishing an experimental heat index for different parts of the country in April last year.

IMD officials said India will soon come up with its system, a multi-parametric product called ‘heat risk score’, which apart from temperature and humidity will also incorporate other parameters such as wind and duration.

Narain noted that heat waves turn modern glass buildings into ovens, overheating occupants and stressed the need for new architectural science to deal with this heat.

“Your biggest challenge today is how to rebuild cities. Look at Gurugram, it’s just glass facades. These glass buildings are the worst thing you can have for a hot climate,” a- she declared.

India experienced several intense and prolonged heatwaves in April and May, testing the limits of human endurance and the country’s disaster preparedness as many states, including Uttar Pradesh, the Bihar and Odisha reported deaths linked to the heatwave.

According to IMD data, 14 of the country’s 36 sub-divisions recorded more than 15 days of heatwave (when the maximum temperature is at least 40 degrees Celsius and 4.5 degrees above normal) from March 1 to June 9.

Studies show that rapid urbanization has exacerbated warming in urban areas, with outdoor workers and low-income households most affected.

Low-income households have limited ability to adapt to extreme heat due to lack of access to water and electricity. The design and construction of informal houses often involves poor ventilation and little shelter from extreme heat.

The May heatwave saw several places across the country, including the hills of Assam, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh, record unprecedented temperatures. The mercury crossed 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan and approached this mark in Delhi and Haryana.

Similar heat waves, which once occurred every 30 years, have become about 45 times more likely due to climate change, according to “World Weather Attribution,” a group of leading climate scientists.

There are concerns that heatwaves in April and May may have played a role in lower-than-usual voter turnout in India’s seven-phase general elections that began on April 19 and ended on June 1, the second longest after the legislative elections of 1951-1952. elections.

The intense heat has already pushed India’s electricity demand to a record 246 gigawatts, with air conditioners and coolers in homes and offices operating at full capacity.

According to the Central Water Commission, water storage in 150 major reservoirs in India fell to just 22 percent of their actual storage last week, exacerbating water shortages in many states and significantly affecting the hydroelectricity production.

India recorded nearly 25,000 suspected cases of heatstroke and 56 deaths due to heat-related illnesses between March and May, PTI reported earlier, citing health ministry data.

According to data compiled by the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), 46 of these deaths were recorded in the month of May alone (till May 30). Between May 1 and May 30, 19,189 suspected cases of heat stroke were reported in the country.

The data does not include deaths in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi and may be just the tip of the iceberg, officials said.