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Cities, being focal points for human activities, contribute to climate change while also suffering its dire consequences. Current estimates indicate that cities account for 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with a large share coming from the transportation and building sectors. An imperative, therefore, is to position cities as integral components in climate action.
To be sure, cities across the world are taking proactive measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change, including the formulation of comprehensive Climate Action Plans (CAPs) that encompass multiple strategies, such as those related to transport planning. Key components include low-carbon approaches such as renewable energy and electric vehicles, the expansion of public transport, the implementation of water and waste management initiatives, and the formulation of climate-resilient strategies. Through such comprehensive measures, cities are positioning themselves as crucial contributors to the global fight against climate change.
Key components include low-carbon approaches such as renewable energy and electric vehicles, the expansion of public transport, the implementation of water and waste management initiatives, and the formulation of climate-resilient strategies.
The challenge is true for India, too—vulnerable as it is to extreme climate events like floods and heat waves. It ranks 10th in the Global Climate Risk Index 2021, which studies the countries most affected by climate change-induced events in terms of human casualties, infrastructure damage, and monetary losses. The combination of rapid urbanisation, inadequate planning, and improper urban management practices raises the risk of Indian cities being categorised among the most vulnerable globally. Unplanned urban growth and a shortage of affordable housing have compelled approximately half of the urban population (around 25 million people) to reside in informal settlements that lack essentials such as roads, sewage systems, drainage, and ventilation. This magnifies the severity of Indian cities’ vulnerability to extreme climatic events.
An evident and severe consequence of climate change in India, particularly with rising temperatures, is the increasing frequency of extreme heat events. The number of days with intolerable heat during the summer is on the rise, exacerbated by the existing conditions in Indian cities—such as reduced open spaces, diminished green areas, the mismanagement of waste, and congested traffic. The escalating heat creates urban heat islands (UHIs), where the microclimate is warmer than the surrounding regions. The UHI effect is not confined to larger cities but is also noticeable in smaller towns. Estimates indicate that the UHI effect in Indian urban areas can go as high as 10°C.
The UHI effect is compounded by the urban design and planning, encompassing building morphology (related to spatial arrangement, design, and structure, including materials used), surface and pavement characteristics, and rooftop features.
Beyond climate-related warming, cities also serve as hubs for generating anthropogenic heat. This human-made heat primarily emanates from vehicular traffic and the increased use of cooling devices like refrigerators and air conditioners, further intensifying the UHI effect. The UHI effect is compounded by the urban design and planning, encompassing building morphology (related to spatial arrangement, design, and structure, including materials used), surface and pavement characteristics, and rooftop features. The UHI effect in Indian cities is creating an escalating challenge from the perspective of heat resistance. While some of the UHI effect results from global warming, another part is attributable to cities’ planning and development aspects, which demand equally careful attention.
Implementing heat-resistant interventions in urban areas involves several key measures, including the expansion of green and open spaces, promoting the use of electric vehicles and public transport, retrofitting buildings with heat-resistant designs and materials, improving housing arrangements especially for low-income households, and incorporating heat-resistant materials for pavements and surfaces. These interventions not only enhance the city’s resilience to heat but also yield co-benefits such as energy conservation and management, decrease in pollution level, reduction in healthcare burden, and improved facilities; they also guide city planning authorities towards low-carbon pathways. Given the multifaceted advantages, CAPs of Indian cities must prioritise and incorporate heat action plans as integral components of their overall planning. Unfortunately, however, city planners and administrators in India have yet to adequately recognise the urgency of implementing heat action plans. An exception to this trend is the municipality of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, which has been noteworthy for periodically issuing and updating its heat action plan since as far back as 2013.
Given the multifaceted advantages, CAPs of Indian cities must prioritise and incorporate heat action plans as integral components of their overall planning.
The formulation and execution of heat action plans in Indian urban centres require policy measures and interventions that seamlessly integrate into the country’s existing urban governance framework. Many of these initiatives should be implemented at the city level in coordination with state and national policies. Within the Indian context, various policy measures and government schemes directly or indirectly address strategies for mitigating heat. These include the National Mission for Sustainable Habitat, the Smart Cities Mission, City Development Plans, Model Building by-laws, and street design guidelines. Additionally, non-government rating agencies such as GRIHA and LEED play a crucial role by assigning relevant ratings to buildings based on their energy consumption.
Furthermore, Indian cities need to explore avenues for leveraging the potential benefits offered by emerging green and sustainable finance instruments. This aligns with directives from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for cities to raise funds from the market. In this regard, Indian cities could consider tapping into opportunities presented by the ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) framework to enhance their credentials for prospective investors. Existing service-level benchmarking frameworks in which Indian cities are already participating—such as the ease of living index, Swachh Sarvekshan, good governance index, and municipal credit ratings—should be explored for alignment with ESG frameworks. This alignment could attract funding from private investors, philanthropic organisations, and development agencies. Integrating measures related to heat resilience could be a viable approach for aligning with ESG standards.
A pressing requirement is to initiate dialogues on heat-resilience measures and their integration into CAPs.
Heat-resilience measures are emerging as an essential concern, especially given the increasing likelihood of extreme temperatures. At present, only one city in India has a heat action plan; more cities must begin developing similar strategies. A pressing requirement is to initiate dialogues on heat-resilience measures and their integration into CAPs. These measures should cover critical aspects such as land-use planning, building morphology, surface characteristics, and urban lifestyles.
The efficient coordination of policies across various departments is crucial for the successful implementation of heat action plans. This not only aids in developing heat-resilient urban systems but also contributes to Indian cities achieving their climate mitigation targets. Prioritising and implementing heat-resilience measures is vital to creating sustainable and climate-resilient urban environments.
This essay is part of a larger compendium “Confronting the Climate Crisis: Pathways to Urban Resilience”
Kamal Kumar Murari is an Assistant Professor with the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences
The views expressed above belong to the author(s). ORF research and analyses now available on Telegram! Click here to access our curated content — blogs, longforms and interviews.
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