Between June and August, India endured its second-hottest summer since 1970, with extreme heat impacting over one-third of the population, disrupting not only daily life and claiming countless lives but also posing serious risks to public health across the nation, according to a report by Climate Central.
This analysis coincides with official data revealing 41,789 suspected heat stroke cases and 143 heat-related deaths during one of the longest and most intense heat waves in the country’s history.
Analysing temperature impact on more than one billion residents in 72 countries that recorded their hottest June-August since at least 1970, the report by the Climate Central found that in India alone, over 426 million people encountered extreme heat for at least a week. It said, temperatures exceeded 90% of usual highs from 1991 to 2020. Over 20.5 million experienced high temperatures for at least 60 days.
Scientists say that human-caused climate change and the El Nino natural weather phenomenon both have pushed temperatures to record highs in the year so far.
Climate Central’s latest analysis sheds light on the local impacts of rising temperatures, detailing how states and cities are confronting an alarming increase in dangerous heat days.
For instance, in India, several cities witnessed many days where temperatures were heavily influenced by climate change. Cities such as Thiruvananthapuram, Vasai-Virar, Kavaratti, Thane, Mumbai, and Port Blair were among the hardest hit, each enduring over 70 days of temperatures significantly intensified by climate change. Mumbai alone recorded 54 days of extreme heat linked to these changes.
Additionally, Kanpur and Delhi faced prolonged spells of dangerously high temperatures, with average readings exceeding 39 degrees Celsius, a scenario made four times more likely due to climate change, the report indicated.
Globally, more than 2 billion people worldwide faced at least 30 days of climate-change attributable temperatures above established health risk thresholds.
These temperatures were made at least three times more likely by climate change. “High temperatures that were clearly influenced by climate change jeopardised the health of billions around the world during the past three months,” said Andrew Pershing, vice president for science at Climate Central.
Vaibhav Pratap Singh, Executive Director, Climate and Sustainability Initiative (CSI), warned that the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly evident for people and businesses across the country.
“Each year, we are experiencing more severe climate-related events such as floods, droughts, and heat waves, which are causing significant harm to lives and livelihoods.
“It is crucial to conduct assessments of how different levels of global warming are affecting our environment and combine this with an understanding of how it impacts people, jobs, and industries, including agriculture. This will help us identify the specific adaptation needs for different regions,” he said.
According to a few reports, the extreme heat has jeopardized the health of billions, with India recording 41,789 suspected heat stroke cases and 143 heat-related deaths this summer.
As the world grapples with increasing weather extremes, the combined effects of human-caused climate change and phenomena like El Niño are expected to continue to elevate temperatures globally, as per the report.
