Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

Brutal nighttime temperatures give Delhi residents little respite from India’s searing heatwave

New Delhi (CNN) — Nights are getting uncomfortably and dangerously hotter in India’s capital as people in the world’s most populous nation feel little respite from unrelenting temperatures. Northern India has endured a scorching summer, with one part of Delhi reached 49.9 degrees Celsius (121.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in late May — the capital’s highest temperature on record. But the stifling heat persists even after the blazing sun has set. The city is cooling down by only 8.5 degrees Celsius at night compared to a 12.2 degrees cooling down in urban outskirt areas, a report published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) last month tracking urban heat stress in Delhi has found.

Highest minimum temperature: Why Delhi’s warm nights are cause of worry

On Tuesday, Delhi recorded its highest minimum temperature since 1969 — a sweltering 35.2 degree Celsius. In the grip of high temperatures during the day, where seven heatwave days have been recorded in June alone (so far), a rise in night temperatures is a new worry. This month, so far, the city has seen six consecutive warm nights — temperatures surging during the day have not fallen below the 40 degree Celsius mark at night since May 12. ADVERTISEMENT PlayUnmute Fullscreen The highest minimum temperature between 1969 and 2024 was 34.9 degree Celsius recorded on May 23, 1972. India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said records before 1969 have not been analysed yet and there is no clarity whether the temperature recorded on Tuesday is the highest ever for Delhi. Festive offer Read | Health ministry issues heatwave advisory: Report cases of illnesses and deaths daily Two stations in Haryana — Fatehabad and Mahendragarh — recorded warmer mornings than Delhi at 35.4 degree Celsius and 35.3 degree Celsius. What is a ‘warm night’? According to IMD, a warm night is one in which the night’s minimum temperature is above normal by a difference of 4.5 to 6.4 degree Celsius. A severe warm night is observed when the departure from normal is more than 6.4 degree Celsius. The precondition for both is that the temperature during the day must be 40 degree Celsius or more. ADVERTISEMENT Delhi’s minimum temperature on Wednesday was 8 degree above normal. The maximum temperature was 43.6 degree Celsius — 5 degree above normal. Why is this concerning? In a 24-hour cycle, the temperature falls to its lowest point in the early hours of the day, most commonly between 3 am and 5 am, an IMD official told The Indian Express. Any respite from the heat is expected only during this time, especially given that Delhi and several parts of northwest India are facing a rain deficit of more than 90%, and maximum temperatures have consistently been over the 40 degree mark. “The reason that more heat stroke cases are being reported now, despite the maximum temperature hitting its peak in the last week of May, is the rise in night temperatures. There is no respite at all” a doctor at a Delhi government hospital told The Indian Express on the condition of anonymity. ADVERTISEMENT “Moreover, homes are also warmer than the outdoors at night. So people are out in the open when it is the hottest outside [during the day] and indoors when the dip in temperature is not very much,” the doctor said. What does the data show? The IMD is yet to do a detailed study of temperature extremes in June. However, publicly available statistics on temperatures in June in Delhi show that this is the first time since 2011, when 12 days between June 1 and June 19 have seen a minimum temperature of more than 30 degree Celsius. 2018, which also saw an exceptionally warm June, saw 10 such days. The normal minimum temperature for this time of the month is 27.5 degree Celsius. ADVERTISEMENT How has the ‘urban heat island’ effect contributed to rising temperatures? Several studies have cited the ‘urban heat island’ effect as one of the causes of the increase in temperature in cities. The effect is a local phenomenon, seen when highly urbanised areas with dense construction and few green areas see higher temperatures than areas that are relatively more open, and greener. In Delhi, for several decades, areas that lie alongside the Ridge and the greener Lutyens’ Delhi have recorded a lower maximum and minimum temperature as compared to more urbanised pockets. Studies say that because of the concretised nature of these pockets, heat gets trapped and the variation in the temperature can range from 2 degree to 4 degree within a few kilometres. A recent study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) also says that the rate of cooling down in cities is now slower than it was in between 2001 and 2010 — contributing to warmer nights, overall.

India’s ‘heat trap’ cities make summers worse, says government official Sub: Economy

Indian cities are becoming “heat traps” due to unbalanced growth, reducing water bodies, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Wetlands and water bodies have diminished, and permeable spaces have decreased significantly. Scorching Summer Impact: India faces an intense summer, with dozens of deaths reported. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts above-normal temperatures for June in northwest and central regions, including Delhi, marking one of the longest heatwave spells. Delhi’s daily temperatures have stayed above 40°C since May 12, with a forecasted drop below this mark only on June 26. On a recent day, Delhi recorded 44°C, but it felt like 49.2°C due to the heat index. Climate change and urban development are key factors in rising temperatures. Cities experience heat retention, making nights almost as hot as days. Study Findings A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) shows that night temperatures in cities cooled less between 2014-2023 compared to 2001-2010, with a reduction in cooling by up to 7°C. Hot nights pose significant health risks as they prevent recovery from daytime heat.

North India Reels Under Record Hot Nights And Unrelenting Heat

(Bloomberg) -- A town in northern India had its hottest night in at least half a century, as unrelenting heat in the world’s most populous nation raises health risks and stretches the grid. The minimum night temperature in Alwar in the state of Rajasthan touched 37C (98.6 degrees F) for two consecutive days this week, the highest in records dating back to 1969, according to India Meteorological D

Nhiều đô thị của Ấn Độ biến thành 'bẫy nhiệt'

Sự mất cân bằng trong phát triển đô thị, làm giảm diện tích đất ngập nước và thủy vực, là một trong những lý do khiến các thành phố của Ấn Độ trở thành "bẫy nhiệt". Một quan chức chính phủ cấp cao cho biết hôm 17/6 rằng các thành phố của Ấn Độ đã trở thành "bẫy nhiệt" do sự phát triển mất cân bằng, tiêu thụ nhiều nước và làm tăng lượng khí thải nhà kính, SCMP đưa tin. Cục Khí tượng Ấn Độ (IMD) dự báo nhiệt độ trên mức bình thường trong tháng 6 ở khu vực phía tây bắc và miền Trung đất nước, bao gồm cả thủ đô Delhi, khiến đây trở thành một trong những đợt nắng nóng kéo dài nhất lịch sử. Nhiệt độ hàng ngày cao nhất ở thủ đô luôn duy trì trên 40 độ C kể từ ngày 12/5 và được dự báo phải tới 26/6 mới giảm xuống. Tiêu chí "sóng nhiệt" của IMD bắt đầu ở mức 40 độ C ở đồng bằng và 30 độ C ở vùng đồi - nơi thường mát hơn do độ cao. Delhi, nơi cũng đang phải đối mặt với tình trạng thiếu nước, ghi nhận nhiệt độ khoảng 44 độ C vào cuối chiều 17/6, nhưng IMD cho biết nhiệt độ thực tế là 49,2 độ C. nang nong o an do anh 1 Sự phát triển đô thị thiếu cân bằng khiến cho nhiều vùng của Ấn Độ trở thành "bẫy nhiệt". Krishna S. Vatsa, thành viên của Cơ quan Quản lý Thảm họa Quốc gia, cho biết: "Biến đổi khí hậu đóng một vai trò quan trọng". Theo Vatsa, sự phát triển đô thị mất cân bằng, làm giảm diện tích đất ngập nước và thủy vực (thuật ngữ đề cập đến những nơi chứa nước lớn như đại dương, biển, hồ, cũng bao gồm những nơi chứa nước ít hơn như ao, đất ngập nước) là yếu tố khác gây ra bẫy nhiệt. "Lượng khí thải nhà kính tăng lên. Những vùng hút nước đã giảm đáng kể. Các thành phố giờ đây đã trở thành bẫy nhiệt", ông nói, kết luận rằng giờ đây ban đêm cũng khó chịu như ban ngày. Theo một nghiên cứu của Trung tâm Khoa học và Môi trường (CSE) công bố tháng trước, nhiệt độ bề mặt đất vào mùa hè từ năm 2001 đến năm 2010 tại các thành phố như Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata và Mumbai từng giảm tới 13,2 độ C vào ban đêm so với mức cao nhất ban ngày. Từ năm 2014 đến năm 2023, nhiệt độ chỉ giảm 11,5 độ C. "Đêm nóng cũng nguy hiểm như nhiệt độ đỉnh điểm vào giữa trưa. Mọi người có ít cơ hội phục hồi sau cái nóng ban ngày nếu nhiệt độ vẫn cao vào ban đêm", báo cáo của Trung tâm cho biết. Vatsa nói rằng hầu hết bang của Ấn Độ đang thực hiện các kế hoạch hành động chống nắng bao gồm cung cấp nước uống và cơ sở y tế tốt hơn, cũng như sắp xếp lại thời gian làm việc ngoài trời và cho các trường nghỉ học. Nhưng Anumita Roychowdhury, giám đốc điều hành của CSE, cho biết không có nhiệm vụ rõ ràng nào để thực hiện các chiến lược dài hạn. Kế hoạch dài hạn của Delhi bao gồm tăng cường cách nhiệt cho các tòa nhà, phát triển nơi trú ẩn cho người nghèo thành thị và cư dân khu ổ chuột, và đầu tư vào các nguồn nước làm mát. Vishwas Chitale - thành viên Hội đồng Năng lượng, Môi trường và Nước tại New Delhi - cho biết những kế hoạch như vậy cần phải được hỗ trợ về mặt tài chính. "Các thành phố đang gặp khó khăn về nguồn lực tài chính của chính họ và không có thêm ngân sách để thực hiện các hành động chống nóng", ông nói.

5 dead, 12 on life support in Delhi heatwave

Five people have died over the last two days and at least 12 are on life support at Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital as the National capital burns due to a searing heatwave. Other hospitals in Delhi are also seeing many admissions due to heatstrokes. Dr Ajay Shukla, Medical Superintendent of the State-run hospital, told NDTV that 22 people had been admitted after they suffered a heatstroke. "Five patients died and 12 or 13 patients are on ventilator support," he said. The senior doctor warned that the mortality rate in heatstroke cases is quite high -- about 60-70 per cent. "If the patient is brought late to the hospital, one organ after the other starts failing. There is a lack of awareness. A lot of these patients are migrant labourers. Also, the symptoms (of heatstroke) can be easily missed or mistaken for something else. It's only when patients faint that their relatives feel that hospitalisation is needed." The weather office has said in its forecast that heatwave conditions are likely to continue over most parts of north India for the next 24 hours and abate after that. On what is leading to the abnormally warm nights, Rajneesh Sareen of the Delhi-based thinktank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has an explanation. "The construction and concretisation in big cities like Delhi has significantly gone up. Concrete buildings absorb heat through the day and release it at night. This is why minimum temperatures are rising in big cities," said Mr Sareen, programme director for Sustainable Habitat Programme at CSE. Earlier, he said, daytime temperatures would be high, but people would get some relief at night. "But nowadays, ACs are exploding because of a heat island effect. Construction in Delhi is going up and the green area is reducing. The construction of high-rises is also affecting wind movement," he said, adding that use of concrete has to be reduced.

Heatwave 2024: Health Ministry issues advisory as heatstroke cases, deaths surge | Check Do's and Don'ts

As heatstroke cases surge across north India due to an unrelenting heatwave, the Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory to Central Government-run hospitals to prioritise treatment for heatstroke patients. Since May 27, Delhi's state-run Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital has admitted 45 patients with heat-related issues, reporting nine deaths, with seven occurring in the past two days. Other hospitals in Delhi are also experiencing a high number of heatstroke admissions. Delhi has been enduring a severe heatwave for nearly a month, with minimum temperatures surpassing 35 degrees Celsius and maximum temperatures around 45 degrees Celsius. Tap water remains hot throughout the day, and even air-conditioners are struggling to provide relief. Rajneesh Sareen from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) explained the phenomenon of abnormally warm nights. "Construction and concretisation in cities like Delhi have increased significantly. Concrete buildings absorb heat during the day and release it at night, causing minimum temperatures to rise," said Sareen, programme director for the Sustainable Habitat Programme at CSE. He said while daytime temperatures had always been high, nighttime relief was diminishing. "ACs are struggling due to the heat island effect. Increased construction and reduced green areas are impacting wind movement. The use of concrete must be reduced to mitigate this effect," Sareen added.

Extreme heat in India has killed more than 100 people in the past three and a half months

A months long heat wave across swathes of India has killed more than 100 people and led to over 40,000 suspected cases of heat stroke in the past three and a half months, according to data from India's Health Ministry. Between March 1 and June 18, 110 people in India died after suffering heat strokes, according to Health Ministry data provided to The Associated Press. Officials from India's Health Ministry and its subsidiary body, the National Centre for Disease Control, which compiled the figures, declined to comment. “We don’t classify and measure deaths as much as we should and that is one reason why heat-related deaths are difficult to count,” said Dileep Mavalankar, former head of the Indian Institute of Public Health in Gandhinagar. The highest number of deaths — 36 — were reported in Uttar Pradesh state, followed by other northern states including Rajasthan, Bihar and Odisha, which has borne the brunt of the extreme weather. The data also showed that of the 40,272 cases of suspected heat stroke during this period, 457 were reported on Tuesday. India, the world’s most populous country and one of the world's largest emitters of planet-heating gases, is among the most vulnerable to climate impacts. A report by the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment found that the country experienced extreme weather on nearly 90% of the days last year.

India experiments with parametric insurance to mitigate costs of disasters

Over two decades, between 2000 and 2019, India faced the third most number of natural disaster events in the world. Future prospects are grim – with the frequency and intensity of many natural disasters projected to increase, losses and damages will run into billions of U.S. dollars. State coffers may not have the funds to pay. India is cautiously experimenting with a novel tool to help bridge this finance gap: parametric insurance. Unlike regular insurance schemes which are based on indemnity, or an evaluation of losses post a disaster event, parametric insurance relies on a predetermined set of parameters which, when met, triggers a payout immediately. “There is no survey or lengthy assessment period, which is the main point of difference,” said Pankaj Tomar, India head of Axa Climate, a venture of the AXA Group focussed on creating climate adaptation solutions. Natural disasters mark almost every part of India’s map. According to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment, India saw natural disasters nearly every day in the first nine months of 2022. Between 2019 and 2023, the country faced damages worth $56 billion due to weather related disasters. Finance for disaster management in India typically comes from the National or State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and international aid. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) contributes between 75 to 90% of funds from the central government, with the remainder supplied by the state government.

North India Reels Under Record Hot Nights And Unrelenting Heat

A town in northern India had its hottest night in at least half a century, as unrelenting heat in the world’s most populous nation raises health risks and stretches the grid. The minimum night temperature in Alwar in the state of Rajasthan touched 37C (98.6 degrees F) for two consecutive days this week, the highest in records dating back to 1969, according to India Meteorological Department. Several other towns in the country’s north recorded higher than usual night temperatures, according to the weather department’s daily bulletin. One of the most dangerous impacts of global warming is that temperatures are rising at night, denying people the ability to cool off during heat waves. Hotter nights increase health risks to those without access to air conditioning, while putting a strain on the grid due to the absence of solar output after sunset. India’s searing summer has claimed at least 56 lives between March and May, news agency Press Trust of India reported earlier this month, citing a government data. Warmer nights deprive people of the chance to recover from working during the day-time heat, according to Avikal Somvanshi of New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. “This inability to cool down at night has only worsened in recent years.”

शौच से बनी जैविक खाद का वितरण शुरू

नगर पालिका अध्यक्ष द्वारा फरवरी माह में शुभारंभ किए गए faecal sludge treatment plant का निरीक्षण लखनऊ से आई टीम सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट के प्रतिनिधि हर्ष तथा अलका द्वारा किया गया। इस दौरान शौच से बनी जैविक खाद का वितरण तथा विक्रय का शुभारंभ अध्यक्ष द्वारा किया गया। जिसके चलते वार्ड नं० 5 के पार्षद हरीश कुमार को प्रथम पैकेट दिया गया। बताया गया कि प्लांट मे बन रहे खाद का बिक्री रेट मात्र 2 Rs. प्रति किग्रा रखा गया है l इस प्लांट का संचालन जिला नगरीय विकास अभिकरण की स्वयं सहायता समूह अंजुम एवं महिमा स्वयं सहायता समूह द्वारा किया जा रहा है।

Delhi records warmest night in 12 years. What's causing the rise in mercury?

This summer, the way we perceive days and nights has changed. The understanding that nights will provide some comfort from the day’s heatwave conditions is not true anymore. On June 18, India’s national capital New Delhi witnessed the warmest night in around 12 years with the minimum temperature settling at 35.2 degrees Celsius, which was over eight notches above the season's normal. The maximum temperature stood at about 44 degree Celsius. How bad is the situation? The situation is so grim that the scorching heat has led to at least five deaths because of heat stroke in the national capital this week, The Times of India reported. Moreover, police in the adjoining Noida found seven people dead in different parts of the city in the last 24 hours without any visible signs of injury. Between March and May, the sweltering heat has claimed at least 56 lives, PTI had reported earlier this month, citing a government data. Boiling hot water from taps during the nights is not even a surprise anymore. What leads to jump in night temperatures? One of the biggest reasons for the surge in night temperatures is the increase in concrete structures in cities. Concrete buildings absorb heat during the day and release it at night, Rajneesh Sareen, who leads the Sustainable Habitat Programme at Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment, told NDTV.

India's 'heat trap' cities make summers worse, says government official

Indian cities have become "heat traps" due to their unbalanced growth devouring water bodies and increasing greenhouse emissions, a senior government official said on June 17, as a scorching summer killed dozens in some parts of the country. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast above-normal temperatures for June in the northwest and central parts of the country including Delhi, making it one of the longest heatwave spells. The highest daily temperatures in the capital have stayed above 40 degrees Celsius since May 12 and are forecast to fall below that mark only on June 26. The IMD's heatwave criteria start with 40 degrees in the plains and 30 degrees for hills where it is generally cooler because of elevation. Delhi, which is also facing a water shortage, recorded about 44 degrees late Monday afternoon but the IMD said it felt like 49.2 degrees. "Climate change plays an important role," Krishna S. Vatsa, a member of the National Disaster Management Authority, told Reuters. Unbalanced urban growth, which has reduced wetlands and water bodies, was another factor, Mr. Vatsa said. "The emission of greenhouse gases has gone up. The permeable spaces have gone down considerably. The cities actually have become heat traps." As a result, he said, nights are nearly as uncomfortable as days. According to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) published last month, land surface temperatures in the summers of 2001 to 2010 in cities such as Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai used to drop by up to 13.2 degrees C during the night from their day-time peak. Between 2014 and 2023 they were only cooling off by up to 11.5 degrees C. "Hot nights are as dangerous as mid-day peak temperatures," the Centre's report said. "People get little chance to recover from day-time heat if temperatures remain high overnight." Vatsa said most Indian states were implementing heat action plans that include provisioning drinking water and better medical facilities, as well as rescheduling outdoor work and school vacations. But Anumita Roychowdhury, CSE's executive director, said there was no clear mandate to implement long-term strategies. Delhi's long-term plan includes increasing heat insulation of buildings, developing shelters for urban poor and slum dwellers, and investing in cooling water bodies. Such plans need to be backed financially, said Vishwas Chitale of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a think-tank in New Delhi. "Cities are struggling with their own finance and they don't have additional budget to implement actions for heat," he added.

North India Reels Under Record Hot Nights and Unrelenting Heat

A town in northern India had its hottest night in at least half a century, as unrelenting heat in the world’s most populous nation raises health risks and stretches the grid. The minimum night temperature in Alwar in the state of Rajasthan touched 37C (98.6 degrees F) for two consecutive days this week, the highest in records dating back to 1969, according to India Meteorological Department. Several other towns in the country’s north recorded higher than usual night temperatures, according to the weather department’s daily bulletin.