India Faces Extreme Heatwaves and Rainfall: Study by IPE Global and Esri India
New Delhi, August 6: A recent study by IPE Global and Esri India reveals that over 84% of Indian districts are vulnerable to extreme heatwaves, and 70% are experiencing increased extreme rainfall. The study highlights a significant rise in these weather events over the past 30 years, with a fifteenfold increase in heatwave days and a nineteenfold increase in the last decade alone.
Abinash Mohanty, Head of Climate Change and Sustainability Practice at IPE Global, explained that a 0.6°C temperature rise in the last century is causing these extreme events. He emphasized the need for hyper-granular risk assessments and climate-risk observatories to protect agriculture, industry, and infrastructure.
Agendra Kumar, Managing Director of Esri India, stressed the importance of a data-driven approach for informed policy decisions and resilience. He highlighted the role of GIS technology in understanding climate impacts and aiding in disaster management and infrastructure planning.
The study also notes that states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Manipur are facing combined impacts of extreme heat and heavy rainfall. Coastal districts are experiencing unpredictable rainfall, and areas with frequent heatwaves report increased erratic rainfall.
Ashwajit Singh, Founder and Managing Director of IPE Global, mentioned the United Nations’ call to action on extreme heat and emphasized the need for strategies to convert environmental risks into competitive advantages. He believes India can become a global leader in climate solutions.
The study recommends integrating risk assessment into India’s strategy for managing heatwaves and extreme rainfall, establishing heat risk observatories, and appointing heat-risk champions in district disaster management committees. It underscores the importance of detailed hazard assessments for effective climate risk management.
The findings were presented at the National Symposium “How can India address climate extremes,” organized by IPE Global, Esri India, UNESCO, and Climate Trends, ahead of Climate Week NYC.
Doubts Revealed
IPE Global -: IPE Global is a company that helps with development projects around the world, including in India. They work on things like health, education, and the environment.
Esri India -: Esri India is a company that makes maps and tools to understand data about places. They help people see where things are happening and make better decisions.
Extreme heatwaves -: Extreme heatwaves are periods of very hot weather that can be dangerous for people, animals, and plants. They can make it hard to stay cool and healthy.
Extreme rainfall -: Extreme rainfall means a lot of rain falling in a short period of time. This can cause floods and other problems like landslides.
Hyper-granular risk assessments -: Hyper-granular risk assessments are very detailed checks to see how risky something is. They look at small areas to understand the risks better.
Climate-risk observatories -: Climate-risk observatories are places where scientists watch and study the weather and climate. They help us understand changes and risks in the environment.
Data-driven approach -: A data-driven approach means making decisions based on facts and numbers. It helps people make better choices by using real information.
National Symposium -: A National Symposium is a big meeting where experts talk about important topics. In this case, they discussed climate and weather issues in India.
Climate Week NYC -: Climate Week NYC is an event in New York City where people from around the world talk about climate change and how to solve it.
