Expanding Heat Resilience

Recently, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a non-profit, released a report, titled ‘Expanding Heat Resilience Across India: Heat Action Plan Highlights 2022’.

Key Highlights: Heat Stress: As climate change leads to more frequent, intense and longer heat waves, extreme hot weather is already a major health threat for vulnerable communities.

• Heat stress refers to physiological ailments and symptoms caused by exposure to high temperatures and often humidity. Heat stress already affects 68 million people worldwide as of 2021.
• Temperatures touched the 40°C mark in March across large parts of central and western India. Many cities are reeling under heatwaves.
• Extreme temperatures are being recorded in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala, states with no history of heatwaves.
• The number of states affected by heatwaves stood at 28 in 2019, up from 19 the year before.