India's heatwaves putting economy, development goals at risk - study | Inquirer News

India’s heatwaves putting economy, development goals at risk – study

/ 12:25 PM April 20, 2023

A woman speaks on a mobile phone as she walks through a market on a hot summer day in New Delhi

A woman speaks on a mobile phone as she walks through a market on a hot summer day in New Delhi, India, April 18, 2023. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

SINGAPORE — Killer heat waves are putting “unprecedented burdens” on India’s agriculture, economy and public health, with climate change undermining the country’s long-term efforts to reduce poverty, inequality and illness, a new study showed.

Extreme heat has caused more than 24,000 deaths since 1992 and has also driven up air pollution and accelerated glacial melt in northern India, said a team of scholars led by the University of Cambridge’s Ramit Debnath.

Article continues after this advertisement

India is now “facing a collision of multiple, cumulative climate hazards”, with extreme weather happening almost every day from January to October last year, they said.

FEATURED STORIES

Debnath told Reuters that it was “very important to figure out how we measure vulnerabilities to frequent extreme events”, with the Indian government’s own “climate vulnerability index” believed to underestimate the impact that longer, earlier and more frequent heatwaves will have on development.

As much as 90% of India’s total area now lies in extreme heat danger zones, and it is not fully prepared, he warned.

Article continues after this advertisement

“India has already done quite a bit in terms of heat mitigation – they actually now recognise heatwaves as part of their disaster relief package,” he said. “But there’s a need to optimise the pace of these plans.”

Article continues after this advertisement

“The adaptation measures that are being put on paper are quite substantial … and I think they have a very strong solid plan, but it’s how they are implemented.”

Article continues after this advertisement

The researchers also warned that heatwaves were weakening India’s efforts to meet its “Social Development Goals”, a list of 17 U.N. objectives to cut poverty, hunger, inequality and disease.

Extreme heat could ultimately lead to a 15% decline in “outdoor working capacity”, reduce the quality of life of up to 480 million people and cost 2.8% of GDP by 2050, they said.

Article continues after this advertisement

Falling productivity caused by extreme high temperatures could already be costing India 5.4% of its GDP, according to the Climate Transparency Report published by environmental groups last year.

RELATED STORIES:

Eleven people die of heatstroke near Mumbai after open-air award function

Most of India to face above-normal April to June heat

‘Hotter and hotter’: Swathes of Asia sweat in heatwave

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: heat waves, India, world news

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.