A recent study highlights that many of India’s cities, particularly those most susceptible to future heatwaves, are primarily concentrating on immediate responses, while the implementation of long-term strategies remains scarce. Conducted by the Sustainable Futures Collaborative, a research organization based in New Delhi, the analysis reviews the preparedness of nine major Indian cities—Bengaluru, Delhi, Faridabad, Gwalior, Kota, Ludhiana, Meerut, Mumbai, and Surat—in the face of escalating extreme heat threats.
Collectively, these cities represent over 11% of India’s urban population. The report indicates that although all nine cities prioritize short-term responses to heatwaves, “long-term actions are infrequently observed, and when they do occur, they are often inadequately targeted.” The authors warn that without effective long-term strategies, India may experience a rise in heat-related fatalities due to more frequent and severe heatwaves in the years ahead.
Aditya Valiathan Pillai, a Visiting Fellow at the Sustainable Futures Collaborative and a Doctoral Researcher at King’s College London, emphasized the urgency of implementing long-term risk reduction strategies, which will require several years to yield results. He remarked, “Immediate action is necessary to mitigate the potential for significant increases in mortality and economic losses in the decades to come.”
The report notes that most cities have implemented short-term measures, such as ensuring access to drinking water, modifying work hours, and enhancing hospital capacity in anticipation of or during heatwaves. These emergency responses are largely orchestrated by national and state disaster management and health authorities rather than through Heat Action Plans (HAPs), which focus predominantly on long-term strategies. The ineffective execution of HAPs hampers their potential impact.
Moreover, the study points out that the cities lack crucial initiatives like occupational cooling for workers exposed to extreme temperatures, wage loss insurance, improved fire management, and upgrades to power infrastructure. Some efforts, such as tree planting and rooftop solar energy, do not adequately reach the communities most in need.
While the health sector has made progress—training healthcare professionals and monitoring heat-related fatalities—other vital sectors, particularly urban planning, have yet to incorporate heat-related concerns into their policies. The report stresses that there is a greater emphasis on responding to heat-related impacts instead of implementing preventive measures.
Cities tend to manage short-term responses using their existing budgets, but necessary structural changes, such as urban cooling strategies and infrastructure improvements, necessitate dedicated financial resources. The study identifies poor inter-departmental coordination, staff shortages, technical deficiencies, and a general lack of urgency regarding heat risks as significant barriers to sustained adaptation efforts.
The authors recommend that local governments prioritize long-term solutions through heat action plans, monitor their effectiveness, and ensure they adequately protect the most vulnerable populations. They propose that states utilize national and state disaster funds to alleviate heat risks and commit to long-term investments in solutions.
If cities appoint Chief Heat Officers (CHOs), it is crucial that these individuals have sufficient authority and resources to tackle heat-related challenges effectively; otherwise, they may face similar struggles as current heat officers. Furthermore, the authors suggest training officials responsible for enforcing heat-related policies in the ten cities most affected by heat.
Lastly, they advocate that every district facing significant climate risks should establish a permanent, well-trained disaster management team to prepare for future heatwaves.
