This blog was co-authored by Dr. Ritika Kapoor and Abhiyant Tiwari of NRDC India
Rising temperatures due to climate change pose an immediate and growing threat to the health and livelihoods of millions of people in India, exacerbating the risks of heat-related illnesses and fatalities. With over 700 heat wave events recorded in the past five decades and an increasing heat-related mortality rate (according to a 2021 study), the urgency to implement effective adaptation strategies has never been greater. The World Bank projects that India could lose up to 34 million jobs because of heat stress by 2030. These growing heat risks highlight the critical need for comprehensive Heat Action Plans (HAPs) in Indian cities that can help bolster local resilience. These plans aim to equip municipal decisionmakers with essential insights into heat-related health risks and guide them towards proven response actions. By fostering collaboration among local stakeholders—including government departments, local communities, and health professionals—HAPs can mobilize resources and help ensure that vulnerable populations are better protected.
In July 2024, NRDC collaborated with India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Uttar Pradesh State Government to spearhead a state-focused HAP training workshop in Lucknow as part of a longer-term capacity building initiative. With state leaders and municipal staff from urban local bodies at the same table, this workshop facilitated new conversations to accelerate heat awareness and adaptation planning. In response to constructive outcomes in Uttar Pradesh, NRDC and a range of expert technical partners have continued planning for additional heat training workshops in additional Indian states.
Advancing Heat Preparedness Across Rajasthan, India
Extreme heat risks in the state of Rajasthan are clear and compelling. In May 2024, the city of Sri Ganganagar in western Rajasthan recorded a staggering maximum temperature of 49.6°C, breaking a 75-year record for the month of May. That same month, Churu registered record-breaking temperature of 50.5°C, 7.5°C degrees above the normal maximum. In response to the alarming toll of heat-related deaths in the state, the Rajasthan High Court took suo motu cognizance of the situation, urging the Union government to classify extreme weather events, including heat waves, as national calamities. Despite Rajasthan’s established HAP in place, the court noted that its implementation has been insufficient and requires further effort to achieve its intended effects.
Historically, Rajasthan has been one of the regions most affected by extreme heat in India, and heat exposures are compounded low and inconsistent rainfall patterns. In 2022, city leaders in Jodhpur collaborated with NRDC and Mahila Housing Trust (MHT) to launch a citywide HAP to and formalize local heat planning. The Jodhpur plan, developed based on local data and community input, enables the city to better organize response actions that will protect public health.
Building on the success in Jodhpur, in October 2024 NRDC and NDMA organized a state-level heat preparedness workshop in Jaipur, Rajasthan, convening government officials from Urban Local Bodies, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), and health experts. Additional leading voices, including District Magistrates representatives from 40 districts of Rajasthan participated.
