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The unprecedented heat wave that swept northern and central India in May has caused the climate crisis to rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius, a new scientific assessment has found.
In the last week of May, India experienced an extreme heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 45C in 37 cities, prompting heatstroke warnings. The temperature in the capital Delhi was recorded at 49.1 degrees.
The heat wave has killed hundreds of people, including one voter and several workers conducting the massive national election, which ended on June 1 after six weeks.
The report published by ClimaMeter, a research project funded by the European Union and France’s National Center for Scientific Research, said the heat wave was almost 1.5C warmer than the hottest heat wave seen previously, despite it occurring late in the typical summer season. It was warm. or CNRS.
According to the study, the heat wave was “a very unique event with characteristics largely attributed to human-driven climate change.”
This May was the hottest on record globally, with the planet experiencing record-breaking heatwaves throughout the year.
A 1.5C rise in average temperatures will have serious public health implications in a country that already experiences hot summers.
Higher temperatures increase the risk of heat exhaustion, heat exhaustion and other illnesses, especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children and people with underlying health conditions.
The new study compared weather conditions from 2001 to 2023 with patterns from 1979 to 2001 to measure the impact of the climate crisis.
“ClimaMeter’s findings highlight that heat waves in India are reaching unbearable temperature thresholds due to fossil fuel combustion,” said Davide Faranda of CNRS.
“There are no technological solutions to adapt Indian metropolises to temperatures close to 50C. We all need to act now to reduce CO2 emissions and avoid exceeding critical temperature thresholds across large areas of the subtropics.”
In addition to health risks, this season’s heat waves have placed enormous strain on infrastructure. For example, Delhi’s electricity demand has soared to an all-time high as people turn to air conditioners, coolers and fans to beat the heat.
But half of India’s population works outdoors and activists say the death toll is much higher than reported.
“More than 200 people died in the second half of the summer,” said Sunil Kumar Aledya, an activist working for homeless people in Delhi. Independent.
The government has not yet confirmed whether there have been any heat stroke deaths.
Severe water scarcity has also become a pressing issue in Delhi, with authorities warning and imposing fines for water wastage.
Delhi’s water resources minister said 200 teams would crack down on people washing their cars with hose pipes and letting their tanks overflow.
India’s Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the northern state of Himachal Pradesh to supply water to Delhi.
The agricultural industry was also hit hard by the heat wave. Higher temperatures can negatively impact crop yields, reduce soil moisture, and cause droughts, potentially leading to food shortages. Livestock are also vulnerable to heat stress, which can reduce productivity and increase mortality.
