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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.

Right intentions but lacked focus on implementation: Sunita Narain on Modi 2.0's environmental record

The second Modi government had the right intentions in dealing with environmental degradation and climate change but there wasn't enough focus on implementation, top environmentalist Sunita Narain has said. In an interaction with PTI editors here, Narain said successive administrations have diluted the environmental clearance system to the extent it no longer works. "Overall, my assessment is that the government had the right words and the right intentions. If you look at the government's policies, you can't argue that anything was per se wrong. Renewable energy, drinking water, waste management...all were on the table. So you put the whole package together, it's all there. My assessment is that there wasn't enough focus on implementation," Narain said.

How did Modi 2.0 govt fare in protection of environment? Sunita Narain weighs in

The second Modi government had the right intentions in dealing with environmental degradation and climate change but there wasn't enough focus on implementation, top environmentalist Sunita Narain has said. In an interaction with PTI editors here, Narain said successive administrations have diluted the environmental clearance system to the extent it no longer works. "Overall, my assessment is that the government had the right words and the right intentions. If you look at the government’s policies, you can't argue that anything was per se wrong. Renewable energy, drinking water, waste management... all were on the table. So you put the whole package together, it's all there. My assessment is that there wasn't enough focus on implementation," Narain said. In its second term, the Modi government focused on several initiatives, including scaling up renewable energy, improving forest cover, combating desertification, reducing air pollution, conserving wetlands, providing potable piped drinking water to all households, and eradicating single-use plastics. The second Modi government had the right intentions in dealing with environmental degradation and climate change but there wasn't enough focus on implementation, top environmentalist Sunita Narain has said. In an interaction with PTI editors here, Narain said successive administrations have diluted the environmental clearance system to the extent it no longer works. ADVERTISEMENT "Overall, my assessment is that the government had the right words and the right intentions. If you look at the government’s policies, you can't argue that anything was per se wrong. Renewable energy, drinking water, waste management... all were on the table. So you put the whole package together, it's all there. My assessment is that there wasn't enough focus on implementation," Narain said. In its second term, the Modi government focused on several initiatives, including scaling up renewable energy, improving forest cover, combating desertification, reducing air pollution, conserving wetlands, providing potable piped drinking water to all households, and eradicating single-use plastics. ADVERTISEMENT The Modi-led government – now in its third term -- also made significant amendments to forest, wildlife, and environmental laws in the last five years, some of which drew criticism from opposition parties and environmentalists. According to Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), new imagination is required to advance key government programmes concerning the environment. "A lot of these programmes have reached a point where we have not been able to deliver the goods. If we take the question of cleaning up rivers, we haven't been able to clean our rivers. We are still in a situation where we are taking clean water from our rivers and giving back sewage." She said governments should pursue development the old-fashioned way. "Development in the old-fashioned way was about learning from the ground, changing your approach, and then relearning. You come back, policy gets infused, you learn from it, and you do things differently. So, in this echo chamber, you cannot have imagination," said Narain. She added that the government has "closed its ability" to listen to people and learn from what's happening on the ground, and stressed that gathering feedback is essential to infuse new imagination into its programmes. "It has closed its ability to listen. Every point or position which may not be agreeable becomes dissent," she said. "You're not an enemy of the state if you point out that the Ujjwala scheme, brilliant as it was, is not leading to the gains because women don't have the money to buy refills. It's something that everybody knew about two years ago, but if you discuss it, it becomes, 'Oh, but you're against the Ujjwala programme'," Narain added. The environmentalist said previous governments weren't courageous enough to take new ideas on board but were definitely more open to listening. "But if you ask me to compare this government to past governments in terms of environmental track record, I will tell you very clearly they are all both bad and good," Narain said. She was also member of the government-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority from 2002 to 2020. Asked how much time it will take India to have clean blue skies and rivers, she said it all depends on the government's ability to implement its projects and make some inconvenient decisions. "The environmental clearance system is not working either for the environment or for development. It is only working for a breed of consultants or auditors and others who look at projects and clear them. All governments have cleared projects, even the Congress government, the UPA government. All governments have progressively diluted the decision-making system, making it weaker and weaker. It makes no sense today," she said. Narain claimed most environmental impact assessment reports are "cut-and-paste documents". "So all that process has been diluted. Today we know that document comes, there is a committee, faceless people, no accountability. They sit and decide on whether this project should be granted clearance or not. How do they grant it clearance? By making sure that it has 100 conditions which cannot be enforced. There is no system even to make sure that those conditions are actually enforced," she said. Narain said the regional offices of the environment ministry responsible for ensuring compliance are understaffed. "They don't have the ability to go and even check whether that condition has been enforced or not. It's a system which is broken. The entire focus of the government for the last five years has been... let's speed up the process. I have no problem. Speeding up is good. Loss of time is bad for economics. Why would I want a three-year process to get clearances? The cost of the project goes up. "I want an effective, hard, tough decision-making process which balances the good versus the bad. The environmental clearance process was to bring a balance between environment and development. If you break down the process, you dilute the institutions, you make them spineless. You basically make it into a system which doesn't work," she said. How did successive governments respond to climate and environmental protests over the years? Narain said government processes have inbuilt ways of managing people's opinions so that they do not become protests. "You had a public hearing process. A public hearing was supposed to be broadcast and was supposed to be done in a way that you listen to people. Now those processes have been diluted. Even if people come and say... nobody listens to them, and the project is still cleared. If you listen to those views at that time, the issue does not become a point of conflict," she said. "Not everybody who comes to protest is a paid lackey of the competitor. I think this distrust has to be fixed because there are issues by which people are genuinely affected, and there need to be institutional processes to listen to them," the environmentalist said.

Current water supply system broken...Go back to rainwater harvesting says Narain

New Delhi: The current water supply system that involves fetching water from distant places is broken and cities need to adopt rainwater harvesting to prepare for a warmer climate, noted environmentalist Sunita Narain has said. Her remarks come as Delhi grapples with a severe water crisis amid a punishing heat wave. In an interaction with PTI editors, Narain said cities such as Delhi and Bengaluru waste or lose 50 to 60 per cent of water in distribution, but “that’s the nature of the current water supply system”. According to Narain, the director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Delhi should lift Yamuna water from Okhla -- the tail end of the Delhi stretch of the river -- and not from Wazirabad. This essentially means Delhi should clean up its sewage for drinking water purposes, she said. “I actually put this in a Planning Commission document. Of course, it was considered too inconvenient, but I did put it in.

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 Monday, as a scorching summer killed dozens in some parts of the country. FE 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 (104 Fahrenheit) 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, 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 during the night from their day-time peak. Between 2014 and 2023 they were only cooling off by up to 11.5 degrees. “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 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 said.

Climate Change: 'इरादे सही, क्रियान्वयन पर ध्यान नहीं', मोदी 2.0 के पर्यावरण संबंधी रिकॉर्ड पर सुनीता नारायण

पर्यावरण क्षरण और जलवायु परिवर्तन से प्रभाव से चिंतित पर्यावरणविद सुनीता नारायण ने सरकारी योजनाओं के बारे में खुलकर बात की है। उन्होंने कहा कि पिछली सरकारों ने इसके क्रियान्वयन पर ठीक प्रकार से ध्यान नहीं दिया। इस कारण यह प्रक्रिया बहुत कमजोर हो गई है। हालांकि मोदी सरकार ने इसके लिए नई परियोजनाएं बनाईं, लेकिन उनको ठीक प्रकार से लागू नहीं करा पाए। न ही आम जनता से उनकी राय ले पाए। शीर्ष पर्यावरणविद सुनीता नारायण ने बताया कि मोदी सरकार के दूसरे कार्यकाल में कई पहलों पर ध्यान केंद्रित किया। जिसमें नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा को बढ़ाना, वन क्षेत्र में सुधार, मरुस्थलीकरण से निपटना, वायु प्रदूषण को कम करना, आर्द्रभूमि का संरक्षण, सभी घरों में पीने योग्य पाइप पेयजल उपलब्ध कराना और एकल-उपयोग प्लास्टिक का उन्मूलन शामिल है। उन्होंने कहा कि दूसरी मोदी सरकार के पास पर्यावरण क्षरण और जलवायु परिवर्तन से निपटने के लिए सही इरादे थे, लेकिन क्रियान्वयन पर पर्याप्त ध्यान नहीं दिया गया। उन्होंने बताया कि यदि आप सरकार की नीतियों को गौर से देखें, तो आप यह तर्क नहीं दे सकते कि कुछ भी गलत था। नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा, पेयजल, अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन जैसे कई बिंदुओं पर विचार किया गया। सुनीता नारायण ने बताया कि सरकारों ने लगातार पर्यावरण मंजूरी प्रणाली को इस हद तक कमजोर कर दिया है कि यह अब काम नहीं करती।

Delhi Summer Nights Are Warmer Than Ever. Expert Explains Why

New Delhi: As north India reels under a record-breaking heatwave, a sustainable habitat expert has explained why India's big cities are turning into heat islands and reporting unprecedented night temperatures. Rajneesh Sareen leads the Sustainable Habitat Programme at Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment. Speaking to NDTV on what is driving the abnormally high night temperatures, he explained, "The construction and concretisation in big cities like Delhi has gone up significantly. 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. Last night, Delhi experienced its warmest night in 12 years, with the temperature settling at 35.2 degrees Celsius, eight notches above normal. Earlier, Mr Sareen said, daytime temperatures would be high, but people would get some relief at night. "Nowadays, ACs are exploding because of a heat island effect," he said. Heat islands typically are metropolitan areas that are warmer than rural regions surrounding it. The contributing factors to this include rapid construction, high population density and vehicular emissions, among other factors. "Construction in Delhi is going up and the green area is reducing. The construction of high-rises is also affecting wind movement," Mr Sareen said, adding that the use of concrete has to be reduced. Citing an example of how reduction in green area is contributing to higher temperatures. "Our research found that in Connaught Place, the buildings are white, the roads black and the parking grey. The rooftops are grey too. The green area there has reduced over the years. And Connaught Place now feels hotter than ever." On whether there is any heat action management plan that may address the burning problem, he said that long-term policy measures are needed to tackle this issue. "There is no exit for the warm air because concrete structures are everywhere. There is a heat dome over Delhi and other cities. We have to reduce the use of concrete," he said. In fact, Delhi's plummeting air quality is also connected to how high-rises are block wind movement, causing pollutants to get trapped over the city. 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.

Right intentions but Modi 2.0 lacked focus on implementation: Narain

The second Modi government had the right intentions in dealing with environmental degradation and climate change but there wasn't enough focus on implementation, top environmentalist Sunita Narain has said. In an interaction with PTI editors here, Narain said successive administrations have diluted the environmental clearance system to the extent it no longer works. "Overall, my assessment is that the government had the right words and the right intentions. If you look at the government's policies, you can't argue that anything was per se wrong. Renewable energy, drinking water, waste management... all were on the table. So you put the whole package together, it's all there. My assessment is that there wasn't enough focus on implementation," Narain said. In its second term, the Modi government focused on several initiatives, including scaling up renewable energy, improving forest cover, combating desertification, reducing air pollution, conserving wetlands, providing potable piped drinking water to all households, and eradicating single-use plastics. The Modi-led government now in its third term -- also made significant amendments to forest, wildlife, and environmental laws in the last five years, some of which drew criticism from opposition parties and environmentalists. According to Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), new imagination is required to advance key government programmes concerning the environment. "A lot of these programmes have reached a point where we have not been able to deliver the goods. If we take the question of cleaning up rivers, we haven't been able to clean our rivers. We are still in a situation where we are taking clean water from our rivers and giving back sewage." She said governments should pursue development the old-fashioned way.

What's Causing Warm Nights In Delhi, What's The Solution: Expert Explains

New Delhi: As north India reels under a record-breaking heatwave, a sustainable habitat expert has explained why India's big cities are turning into heat islands and reporting unprecedented night temperatures. Rajneesh Sareen leads the Sustainable Habitat Programme at Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment. Speaking to NDTV on what is driving the abnormally high night temperatures, he explained, "The construction and concretisation in big cities like Delhi have gone up significantly. 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. Last night, Delhi experienced its warmest night in 12 years, with the temperature settling at 35.2 degrees Celsius, eight notches above normal.

Ancient Indian Materials And Practices Can Offer Relief In Summer

"Let my thoughts come to you when I am gone, like the afterglow of sunset at the margin of starry silence." Rabindra Nath Tagore The blistering summer of 2024 has revealed a stark reality: India's urban areas are transforming into heat chambers. With temperatures skyrocketing to a scorching 50 degrees Celsius and alarming alerts about escalating heat waves, the urban heat crisis is not just a matter of perception but a scientifically proven fact that demands immediate action. As India embarks on ambitious construction projects, it's imperative to acknowledge the significant role of the built environment in exacerbating this crisis. A recent study by the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has highlighted a disturbing trend in India's major cities. Heat waves are intensifying due to rising temperatures, increasing humidity, and urban expansion. The 'urban heat island effect' is a phenomenon where cities are notably hotter than their surrounding rural areas due to human activities. This effect is particularly devastating for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions, who are more susceptible to heat-related health issues. The concrete jungles we construct amplify this effect, transforming our cities into stifling traps. The Constitution of India upholds all citizens' rights to life and personal liberty. In a landmark judgement in 2024, the Supreme Court of India affirmed that the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution includes the right to a clean and healthy environment. This ruling underscore the government's legal and moral obligation to shield citizens from the adverse effects of extreme heat. The court's decision also aligns with the Constitution's directive principles of state policy, which mandate the government to protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife. It further reinforces the fundamental duties of every citizen to preserve and enhance the natural environment, thereby making it a shared responsibility to combat the urban heat crisis. In this context, mitigating the urban heat island effect becomes crucial to protecting citizens' health and well-being, especially vulnerable populations like the elderly, children, and pre-existing health conditions. The scorching heat of Indian summers has long been a formidable challenge. However, the solutions we seek do not need to be looked for elsewhere. While modern solutions are necessary, India's cultural heritage offers timeless wisdom that can complement and enhance our efforts to mitigate the escalating urban heat island effect. By blending ancient wisdom with modern technology and urban planning, we can forge innovative strategies that are effective and deeply rooted in our culture. Drawing from India's profound spiritual and literary heritage, we can develop creative and culturally significant solutions to combat the urban heat island effect. Integrating traditional wisdom with modern technology and urban planning can create sustainable, resilient, and livable cities for future generations. Kabir, the 15th-century mystic poet and social reformer, challenged social norms and advocated for equality and justice for all. His verses resonate with the need to address the disproportionate impact of urban heat on vulnerable communities, such as the poor and marginalised, who often lack access to cooling infrastructure and are more susceptible to heat-related health issues. "Pandit, you read the scriptures but do not practice what they preach. If you are a true pandit, why do you fill your belly by begging? Why do you indulge in worldly pleasures if you call yourself a saint? Kabir says, "O Pandit, if you are truly wise, then why do you not renounce the world?" This Doha urges us to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete action to ensure equitable access to cooling infrastructure and green spaces for all residents, regardless of socioeconomic status. It also underscores the importance of community participation and empowerment in developing sustainable solutions to urban heat. Each individual has a role, and we can all make a significant difference together. Revitalising age-old water management systems: Step-wells (baolis), tanks (kuis), and irrigation channels can replenish groundwater, cool the local environment, and mitigate the heat island effect. Surdas's vivid depictions of the Yamuna River in Vrindavan underscore the importance of clean water and a thriving ecosystem for the well-being of humans and the environment. Moreover, Surdas's vivid depictions of the Yamuna River meandering through Vrindavan underscore the significance of clean water and a thriving ecosystem: "Yamuna tat pran patit, hari charan ki dhooli, Taru taru mein Hari mile, bansuri yahin booli." (On the banks of the Yamuna, I fall at the feet of Hari, covered in the dust of his footsteps. In every tree, I find Hari, and his flute plays its melody here.) This verse highlights the interconnectedness of nature and spirituality, emphasising the need to protect our water bodies and ecosystems to ensure the well-being of humans and the environment. Rahim’s teachings on sustainable living and resource conservation are particularly relevant in urban heat. "Rahiman paani raakhiye, bin paani sab soon. Paani gaye na ubere, motii, manus, choon." (Rahim, conserve water; without water, everything is barren. Without water, neither pearls nor humans nor lime can survive.) This doha reminds us of the critical importance of water conservation in mitigating urban heat. Implementing rainwater harvesting systems, promoting water-efficient landscaping, and encouraging responsible water usage are essential to creating heat-resilient cities. Implementing heat action plans prioritising vulnerable populations, providing cooling centres, and ensuring equitable access to green spaces are crucial to creating heat-resilient communities. Natural Building Materials: Utilising locally sourced, natural building materials like mud, bamboo, and thatch can significantly reduce heat absorption and create a cooler indoor environment. Our ancestors understood the importance of using materials that harmonise with nature and promote thermal comfort. Our traditional stories often mention natural materials like wood and stone, which have lower heat absorption capacity than modern construction materials like concrete and asphalt. Adopting green building practices, using reflective materials to reduce heat absorption, and promoting energy-efficient appliances can significantly lower energy consumption and heat generation in buildings, leading to a more comfortable and sustainable living environment. Protecting Sacred Groves: These biodiversity hotspots, considered abodes of deities in many Indian traditions, can help preserve biodiversity, regulate the local climate, and provide shade and cooling effects. Surdas's descriptions of Vrindavan highlight the importance of respecting and preserving nature by integrating green spaces into our urban landscapes. Surdas's vivid descriptions of Vrindavan, the idyllic pastoral landscape where Krishna spent his childhood, paint a picture of a sustainable and harmonious community deeply connected to nature: “Gopiyaan ko bachan sunn, Vrindavan ki shobha suno, Hari charan chinhaan, tan mann dhan sab kunj bano." (Listen to the words of the gopis, and hear the beauty of Vrindavan, Mark the footprints of Hari, and dedicate your body, mind, and wealth to the groves.) This verse celebrates the beauty of Vrindavan and emphasises the importance of respecting and preserving nature. It encourages us to integrate green spaces into our urban landscapes, creating aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sustainable communities. Community Gardens: Creating community gardens can foster social cohesion, provide fresh produce, and increase green cover in urban areas, thereby reducing the heat island effect. This aligns with the traditional emphasis on community and interconnectedness with nature. By involving local communities in urban greening initiatives, tree planting drives, and awareness campaigns about the importance of sustainable practices, we can create a sense of ownership and encourage active participation in mitigating the urban heat island effect. Your involvement is crucial in this endeavour. Cool Roofs: Encouraging communities to paint their roofs white or install reflective coatings can significantly reduce heat absorption and lower indoor temperatures. This practice draws inspiration from traditional Indian homes that featured whitewashed or light-coloured roofs made of materials that naturally reflected sunlight. Today, cool roof technology builds upon this traditional wisdom using specialised coatings and materials that reflect even more sunlight and emit absorbed heat efficiently. These roofs can significantly reduce indoor temperatures, lower energy consumption for cooling, and mitigate the urban heat island effect. Cool roofs can reduce indoor temperatures by 3-4 degrees Celsius, providing much-needed relief during heatwaves. Tree Plantation Drives: Organising tree planting drives involving residents, schools, and local organisations can enhance green cover, improve air quality, and provide shade. Surdas's poetry often mentions the importance of trees and clean air, reminding us of their crucial role in combating climate change. "Tarvar ek phale anek, Sab vidhi sukh upajai, Nanha panchhi basera kare, Garmi se taru bachhai." (A single tree bears many fruits, bringing happiness. Small birds make their nests in it, and the tree protects them from the heat.) This verse highlights the multifaceted benefits of trees, from providing food and shelter to mitigating the effects of extreme weather. It reminds us of trees' crucial role in combating climate change and the need to integrate them into urban planning to create resilient cities. Studies have shown that increasing tree cover in cities can reduce temperatures by 2-8 degrees Celsius. Implementing green roofs, urban forests, and green walls can significantly mitigate the urban heat island effect. Promoting Public Transportation: Encouraging public transportation, cycling, and walking can reduce vehicular emissions and heat generation. This aligns with the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and Arthashastra, which emphasise performing one's duty for more significant, reasonable, and efficient resource allocation. In the context of transportation, it implies optimising public transportation systems to provide affordable and accessible options for all, thereby reducing the reliance on private vehicles and their associated emissions. Energy-Efficient Appliances: Policies encouraging energy-efficient appliances can significantly reduce energy consumption and heat generation. This aligns with ancient Indian philosophies that emphasise mindful consumption and reducing one's ecological footprint. Thirukkural, the Tamil classic, emphasises the importance of moderation and avoiding excess in all aspects of life. Applying this principle to energy consumption means choosing energy-efficient appliances and using them mindfully to reduce our carbon footprint. Waste Reduction and Recycling: Promoting waste reduction and recycling initiatives can minimise the amount of waste sent to landfills, which are significant sources of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This practice aligns with reincarnation, emphasising the cyclical nature of life and the interconnectedness of all beings, encouraging us to view waste as a resource to be reused or recycled. This can inspire us to view waste not as an end product but as a resource that can be reused or recycled, thereby reducing the burden on landfills and minimising methane emissions. The Laws of Manu,the ancient legal texts, emphasise the importance of cleanliness and avoiding pollution. This can be interpreted as a call for waste reduction and recycling to maintain a clean and healthy environment. The traditional scriptures inspire us to adopt circular economy principles, where waste is minimised and resources are reused to create a sustainable future. Incorporating elements of traditional Indian architecture, art, and music can create a sense of place and identity. Still, by celebrating our cultural heritage, we can make modern, functional, and culturally vibrant cities. These learnings resonate with the need to adopt sustainable practices in urban development to reduce heat generation. These teachings emphasise that mindful consumption can inspire initiatives to minimise waste and promote a circular economy, further contributing to a more sustainable and heat-resilient city. The Rigveda, the oldest Vedas, states: "Let us protect the environment, and the environment will protect us." By integrating this timeless wisdom with modern technology and urban planning, we can prioritise vulnerable populations, ensure equitable access to green spaces, and build a cooler, greener, and more sustainable future for our cities. Let us not merely pay lip service to our traditions and constitutional duties but actively embrace them to create a cooler, greener, and healthier future for our cities. (Hitesh Vaidya is an urban practitioner.)