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Shrinking Green Cover Leaves 76% Delhi Persistently Heat-Stressed, Finds New Report

The heatwaves may be taking a toll on the national capital this summer, but the geospatial analysis confirms that nearly 76% of Delhi’s area is persistently heat-stressed due to the shrinking green cover, says a new report. The report prepared by the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment showed how the extreme heat intensified as the city kept losing its natural defences. While the green cover has shrunk from 25.36 per cent in 2014 to 14.14 per cent in 2024, the waterbody footprints have reduced from 1.25 per cent to 0.99 per cent in the same period. As a result, Delhi’s core area cools 3.8°C less than its peri-urban counterparts, causing heat stress to be retained round-the-clock in its dense, concrete-heavy neighbourhoods.

Soil biological health - a blind-spot in Indian agriculture: Experts call for urgent attention

Earlier this week, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) organised a webinar on 'Improving Soil Biological Health' to discuss its latest report on the issue. The webinar brought together a panel of leading scientists, policy experts, and industry innovators to discuss the report's findings. The expert panel included Alok Kumar Srivastava, Director, ICAR-National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Debashish Mandal, Head and Principal Scientist, Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry Division, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Ramanjaneyulu GV, Executive Director, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Prafull Gadge, Founder and CEO, Biome Technologies Pvt Ltd, Amit Khurana, Director, and Rajeshwari Sinha, Senior Programme Manager from the Sustainable Food Systems Programme, CSE. The findings of the report Improving Soil Biological Health: The Role of biological Components and Monitoring Approaches - were presented in the webinar. It emphasised the need to focus on biological health of the soil towards improving overall soil's health and monitor it as part of routine national-level monitoring. This was followed by a panel discussion where experts shared their insights on this critical, yet often ignored, biological dimension of soil, the engine of agricultural productivity. Soil biological health - a blind-spot in Indian agriculture Experts recognised that degradation of Indian soil is a growing crisis, and that soil biological components play a vital role when it comes to improving the status of declining soil health. Key drivers contributing to deteriorating soil health include indiscriminate pesticide and agrichemical use, crop-residue burning, monocropping, dependence on high-yielding varieties, poor organic matter recycling, and soil compaction due to mechanisation. This has led to a high imbalance in the natural soil community that helps in maintaining microclimate of soil and in nutrient cycling. There is therefore a selective negative pressure on soil as well as plant microbiome. Excessive fertiliser use also causes nitrate pollution and nitrous oxide emissions. Microorganisms in soil (such as bacteria, fungi) serve as essential vehicles that solubilise bound nutrients, making them plant-available and suitable for uptake. Without healthy soil biology, fertiliser uptake efficiency also remains low - nitrogen use efficiency is only 30-40 per cent, while phosphorus efficiency is 15-20 per cent. A better soil biological health is also linked to better soil physical health, and overall soil function.

75.78 pc of Delhi area heat-stressed for six or more years: Report

About 75.78 per cent of Delhi's area remained heat-stressed for six or more years between 2015 and 2024, with a majority of construction sites, marketplaces and schools located in areas experiencing recurring extreme heat, according to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The report, titled "Making Delhi Heat-Resilient: A Roadmap with the Focus on Vulnerable Groups", said that 98.72 per cent of Delhi's total area crossed the heat-stress threshold at least once during the decade. According to the study, 92 per cent of construction projects are located in areas where land surface temperatures crossed the 45 degrees Celsius threshold at least once between 2015 and 2024, while 77 per cent are in areas witnessing recurring extreme heat.

75.78 pc of Delhi area heat-stressed for six or more years: Report

About 75.78 per cent of Delhi's area remained heat-stressed for six or more years between 2015 and 2024, with a majority of construction sites, marketplaces and schools located in areas experiencing recurring extreme heat, according to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The report, titled "Making Delhi Heat-Resilient: A Roadmap with the Focus on Vulnerable Groups", said that 98.72 per cent of Delhi's total area crossed the heat-stress threshold at least once during the decade.

Making Delhi heat-resilient in 2026 summer: Sunita Narain

Delhi is in the grip of an inferno right now, but it is about an urban heat crisis, which has huge health and economic implications. Delhi's two seasons of despair, winter with air pollution and now summer with intense heat, both need urgent action. Centre for Science and Environment's report Making Delhi Heat-Resilient presents this action agenda; it goes beyond providing short term solutions to heat; it tells us why urban planning must be about managing this and building resilience. This when we know heat intensity is both about climate change - heat records are being broken each year - but also about the way we are building our cities. More concrete, less green areas; more road surface, more vehicles and even more air conditioners as people need cooling devices to combat this heat. Our report shows that it is not about total green cover in the city; but about locations where more people live; where density is high and there is no protection. This is the class-story of Delhi's heat. This is what makes heat a killer and needs us to act.

How Loni Became The World’s New Air Pollution Capital

“Addressing pollution in places like Loni requires strengthening state pollution control boards with more humanpower and better laboratories, improving industrial infrastructure, and enforcing continuous monitoring. Transparent, public reporting is key to driving accountability and real change. Unless we do that, we will see more industrial towns like Loni around us,” said Nivit Kumar Yadav, Programme Director, Sustainable Industrialisation and Renewable Energy Unit, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. Nisar Ahmad’s eyes are fixed on the sewing machine in front of him as he deftly guides the cloth under the needle. The 33-year-old works at a garment factory where he puts in 12 hours a day. “I have been working here for the past 15 years. But, I wonder how much longer I can continue doing this, as my lungs and overall health are slowly giving way,” said Ahmad. The garment factory where he works is located at the outskirts of Delhi in a small city Loni, which has recently been declared the most polluted city in the world. According to the 2025 World Air Quality Report by the Swiss company IQAir, which has analysed data from over 9,400 cities across 143 countries, Loni’s annual average PM2.5 concentration last year was 112.5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³). This is the highest in the world and 22 times the World Health Organization’s safe limit. Located in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh, Loni is one of India's largest industrial hubs, with over 1,000 units manufacturing garments, leather, yarn, automobile parts, plastics, packaging, electronics components, e-waste, furniture, ice cream, biscuits, and rice mill machine parts. The heavy flow of diesel trucks using Loni as a transit corridor between Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh adds to the air pollution load. Ahmad’s factory is located in Loni’s Tronica City, which is a planned industrial area of eight sectors, But, it is surrounded by hundreds of unauthorised units that belch out smoke and toxic pollutants. While he is aware of the high pollution around him, Ahmad says he doesn’t have much of a choice. “I get paid on a per piece basis and earn Rs 15,000 a month, which barely keeps me afloat. Five family members, including my mother and wife, depend on me,” Ahmad told On Air. “Pollution causes illness, and doctor’s fees consume a significant portion of my income. I don't have access to any social security or health insurance,” he complained. It was in the late 1990s when driven by court orders many polluting industries were relocated from Delhi to peripheral areas, including Loni, in a bid to clean the national capital’s air. But, Delhi continues to be the fourth most polluted city in IQAir’s latest global ranking. Loni, on the other hand, has jumped to number one position. Loni’s Municipal Council Executive Officer KK Mishra, however, dismissed the IQAir report. “We don't know which agency prepared this report or what its parameters [of measuring the pollution] were. We don't have any such report. Twelve departments, including the municipal corporation, public works department, police, industry, and transport, work on air pollution, and strict enforcement is ensured,” Mishra told On Air. Notwithstanding this, it is no secret that illegal industrial activities abound in Loni. Various reports point out how e-waste from Delhi and other neighbouring areas comes to Loni and is burned in the dead of the night to retrieve metals and other elements. Even plastic waste and mixed garbage is regularly burnt, complain local residents. Vikram Mavi runs a gymnasium in the Tila village area of Loni. He pointed towards a huge pile of discarded mobile phone covers and screen guards. “Waste contractors set fire to this garbage at night. The burning rubber, plastic, and other waste fill the sky with smoke. If the pile is not burnt, it starts to rot and stink in the summer heat, making life difficult for those who live here,” the 44-year-old told On Air. Naresh Chand, a tea-seller in Krishna Vihar in Loni, said he worked in a leather factory.“I quit because I kept falling ill. But, I am still exposed to pollution,” he said. “Though the government has banned dirty fuel like coal, it continues to be used surreptitiously to fire furnaces and in local dhabas for cooking. Coal is back in extensive use because of the fuel crisis due to the ongoing war in the Gulf.” To ensure uninterrupted electricity supply, many industrial units in Loni use generator sets and these diesel-run gensets also contribute to the pollution. Industrialist Anil Gupta has a transformer parts manufacturing company in Ghaziabad which employs 300 workers. He knows Loni like the back of his hand. He alleged that factories neither install effluent treatment plants nor dispose of solid waste properly, and brazenly flout environmental laws. “Barring rare exceptions, pollution of water bodies and burning garbage in the open is common practice in Loni. The air pollution is unbearable and is slowly killing the local people. But owners don’t care as they don’t live in polluted Loni,” said Gupta. On Air also met a manager of a factory in Loni’s Tronica City that employs 400 workers. He admitted that workers face high pollution both inside the industrial units and outside, as the air is thick with pollutants. He pointed towards a huge flyover that is under-construction through Loni city. “This flyover is part of the Delhi-Saharanpur Highway. But no one knows when its construction will be completed. No anti-pollution regulations are being followed. Dust pollution is high. Day in and day out people inhale toxic air. It is no surprise if the workers fall ill,” he said on condition of anonymity. Loni’s Municipal Council Executive Officer Mishra also said he had no clear idea when the flyover would be completed. “I think the agency that was constructing it has got blacklisted and it's just standing there unfinished,” he said. The factory manager, who requested anonymity, also complained that government social security schemes for workers mostly remain only on paper. “Employee State Insurance [ESI] covers all workers earning less than Rs 21,000 per month in the state, but not everyone benefits from it. Companies often hire workers on daily wages through contractors, circumventing regulations,” he said. Mumtaz Naushad Saifi, a councillor of ward 49 in Loni said that the workers were being exploited and labour rights not enforced properly. “We want to clean up Loni and get rid of this number one tag that has been given to us because of high air pollution,” she said. On Air reached out to Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), which has two real-time air quality monitoring systems in Loni. Unwilling to be named, an official of UPPCB said that many illegal industries operate in Loni. “The matter was even taken to the High Court and a committee has been formed by the District Magistrate, which, in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation and the Police Department, conducts periodic drives to crack down on illegal industries. But corruption is so rampant that not much is being done,” he said. Industrial sector experts stress on the need for systemic reforms—strengthening state pollution control boards, upgrading industrial infrastructure, and ensuring continuous, transparent monitoring of emissions in clustered industrial zones like Loni. “Addressing pollution in places like Loni requires strengthening state pollution control boards with more humanpower and better laboratories, improving industrial infrastructure, and enforcing continuous monitoring. Transparent, public reporting is key to driving accountability and real change. Unless we do that, we will see more industrial towns like Loni around us,” said Nivit Kumar Yadav, Programme Director, Sustainable Industrialisation and Renewable Energy Unit, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi.

दिल्ली में सब जगह एक जैसी नहीं पड़ रही गर्मी, हर इलाके का तापमान अलग, जानिए क्यों?

Delhi Heat Wave: देश की राजधानी दिल्ली इन दिनों भीषण गर्मी की चपेट में है. मई महीने के दौरान पड़ रही झुलसाने वाली गर्मी ने लोगों की मुश्किलें बढ़ा दी हैं. हालात ऐसे हैं कि शहर के कई इलाकों में जमीन की सतह का तापमान 60 डिग्री सेल्सियस तक पहुंच गया. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की ओर से जारी हीट मैप ने राजधानी में गर्मी की असमान स्थिति को उजागर किया है. रिपोर्ट बताती है कि दिल्ली के सभी हिस्सों में गर्मी का असर एक जैसा नहीं है. हर इलाके में अलग-अलग है गर्मी का असर हीट मैप के अनुसार राजधानी के कुछ हिस्से आग की तरह तप रहे हैं, जबकि कुछ इलाकों में अपेक्षाकृत कम तापमान दर्ज किया गया. यह अंतर केवल मौसम की वजह से नहीं है, बल्कि शहरीकरण, आबादी का घनत्व, हरियाली और बुनियादी सुविधाओं की उपलब्धता से भी जुड़ा हुआ है. रिपोर्ट में साफ दिखता है कि जहां कंक्रीट का विस्तार ज्यादा है और खुले हरे क्षेत्र कम हैं, वहां गर्मी का असर भी अधिक महसूस किया जा रहा है. हीट मैप में लाल और नारंगी क्षेत्रों ने बढ़ाई चिंता CSE द्वारा जारी हीट मैप में लाल और गहरे नारंगी रंग वाले क्षेत्रों को सबसे अधिक गर्म बताया गया है. इन इलाकों में जमीन की सतह का तापमान 53 से 60 डिग्री सेल्सियस तक दर्ज किया गया. वहीं पीले और हरे रंग वाले क्षेत्रों में तापमान अपेक्षाकृत कम रहा. रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक मई 2024 के दौरान दिल्ली का औसत लैंड सरफेस तापमान 48.46 डिग्री सेल्सियस रिकॉर्ड किया गया था, जो राजधानी में बढ़ती गर्मी की गंभीरता को दर्शाता है. बाहरी दिल्ली के इलाके सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित हीट मैप के आंकड़ों के अनुसार दिल्ली के करीब दो-तिहाई वार्डों में तापमान 45 डिग्री सेल्सियस से ऊपर दर्ज किया गया. उत्तर-पश्चिम, दक्षिण-पश्चिम और पूर्वी दिल्ली के कई इलाके सबसे अधिक प्रभावित पाए गए. इन क्षेत्रों में तेजी से हो रहे निर्माण कार्यों और कंक्रीट की बढ़ती सतहों ने हालात को और गंभीर बना दिया है. कई स्थानों पर हरियाली की कमी भी तापमान बढ़ने की एक बड़ी वजह बन रही है. शहरीकरण ने बढ़ाई राजधानी की तपिश दिल्ली की बढ़ती गर्मी केवल प्राकृतिक कारणों का परिणाम नहीं है. शहर में तेजी से बढ़ते शहरीकरण का असर भी साफ दिखाई दे रहा है. कंक्रीट की सड़कें, इमारतें और अन्य पक्की सतहें दिनभर सूर्य की गर्मी को अवशोषित करती हैं और रात में धीरे-धीरे उसे छोड़ती रहती हैं. यही वजह है कि कई इलाकों में रात के समय भी लोगों को गर्मी से राहत नहीं मिलती. लगातार बढ़ती निर्माण गतिविधियां शहर के तापमान को प्रभावित कर रही हैं. औद्योगिक गतिविधियां और वाहनों का भी असर रिपोर्ट में बताया गया है कि औद्योगिक क्षेत्रों की मौजूदगी, भारी वाहनों की आवाजाही और एयर कंडीशनरों का बढ़ता उपयोग भी गर्मी को बढ़ाने वाले कारकों में शामिल हैं. इन गतिविधियों के कारण वातावरण में अतिरिक्त गर्मी पैदा होती है, जिसका असर आसपास के इलाकों पर पड़ता है. गरीब आबादी वाले इलाकों पर सबसे ज्यादा मार रिपोर्ट के अनुसार बाहरी इलाकों में रहने वाली गरीब आबादी गर्मी से सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित हो रही है. इन क्षेत्रों में हरियाली कम है और निर्माण कार्य लगातार जारी हैं. ऐसे में जमीन की सतह तेजी से गर्म हो जाती है और लोगों को भीषण गर्मी का सामना करना पड़ता है. अप्रैल और मई की सूखी गर्मी के बाद जून और जुलाई में बढ़ने वाली उमस स्थिति को और कठिन बना देती है. इससे दैनिक जीवन और स्वास्थ्य दोनों पर असर पड़ता है. दिल्ली का हीट आइलैंड इफेक्ट बना बड़ी चुनौती राजधानी में बढ़ता “हीट आइलैंड इफेक्ट” अब एक गंभीर चुनौती के रूप में सामने आ रहा है. जिन इलाकों में कंक्रीट और निर्माण गतिविधियां ज्यादा हैं, वहां तापमान आसपास के क्षेत्रों की तुलना में अधिक दर्ज किया जा रहा है. हीट मैप ने यह साफ कर दिया है कि दिल्ली में बढ़ती गर्मी केवल मौसम की कहानी नहीं है, बल्कि यह शहरी विकास और पर्यावरणीय असंतुलन की भी तस्वीर पेश करती है. गोवा का हाल दिल्ली की तरह ही गोवा भी अपने मौसम और भौगोलिक पहचान के लिए जाना जाता है. अरब सागर के किनारे बसे गोवा ने पुर्तगाली शासन से आज़ादी पाकर 1987 में राज्य का दर्जा हासिल किया. आज यह पर्यटन और उद्योग में अग्रणी है. वहीं दिल्ली का हीट आइलैंड इफेक्ट दिखाता है कि शहरीकरण अगर संतुलित न हो तो प्राकृतिक परिस्थितियां कितनी चुनौतीपूर्ण बन सकती हैं.

दिल्ली में सब जगह एक जैसी गर्मी नहीं, हर इलाके का तापमान अलग, जानिए क्यों?

Delhi heat wave: दिल्ली इन दिनों झुलसाने वाली गर्मी से जूझ रही है. मई आते ही कई इलाकों में जमीन की सतह का तापमान 60 डिग्री सेल्सियस तक पहुंच गया. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की रिपोर्ट में जारी हीट मैप ने दिखाया कि हर जगह गर्मी का असर एक जैसा नहीं है. कुछ हिस्से आग की तरह तप रहे हैं, जबकि कुछ जगहों पर थोड़ी राहत है. यह फर्क सिर्फ मौसम का नहीं बल्कि शहरीकरण, गरीबी और बुनियादी सुविधाओं की कमी का भी है. हीट मैप में लाल और गहरे नारंगी रंग वाले इलाके सबसे ज्यादा गर्म दिखे, जहां तापमान 53 से 60 डिग्री तक दर्ज हुआ. वहीं पीले और हरे रंग वाले हिस्से अपेक्षाकृत ठंडे रहे. मई 2024 में दिल्ली का औसत लैंड सरफेस तापमान 48.46 डिग्री सेल्सियस रहा. करीब दो-तिहाई वार्ड्स में तापमान 45 डिग्री से ऊपर रहा. खासकर उत्तर-पश्चिम, दक्षिण-पश्चिम और पूर्वी दिल्ली के इलाके सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित हुए. तेजी से हो रहे निर्माण और कंक्रीट की सतहों ने इन जगहों को भट्ठी बना दिया है.

Delhi heat wave: दिल्ली में गर्मी भी करती है भेदभाव! एक ही शहर, लेकिन तापमान अलग-अलग…हीट मैप कर देगा हैरान

Delhi heat wave: दिल्ली में बढ़ती गर्मी अब केवल मौसमीय चुनौती नहीं बल्कि सामाजिक और आर्थिक संकट का रूप ले चुकी है. CSE की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार राजधानी के कई इलाकों में जमीन की सतह का तापमान 60 डिग्री सेल्सियस तक पहुंच रहा है. सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित बाहरी इलाके, झुग्गी बस्तियां और खुले में काम करने वाले मजदूर हैं.

In Assam, Humid Heat is Pushing Tea Workers to the Brink

The impact is already visible in Assam. Between January 1 and September 30, 2025, the state recorded 113 extreme weather days that claimed 47 lives, according to Climate India 2025: An Assessment of Extreme Weather Events, a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment. July recorded the highest number of extreme weather days, followed by August and June.

From heatwave alerts to action: Why India needs cooling governance now

Rajneesh Sareen, programme director, Sustainable Buildings and Habitat Programme, Centre for Science and Environment, said translating heat action plans into building and street design will require their integration into city master plan as well as urban design. India has two main building codes - the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) for commercial buildings and Eco Niwas Samhita (ENS) for homes. These codes are meant to make buildings use less electricity for cooling, lighting, ventilation and other services.

India's Growing Urban Emergency: A Weak Monsoon Meets Cities That Trap Heat

Urbanisation is one of the contributors to rising heatwaves, but the larger issue is land cover change. However, when we compare cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai, the intensity of heat is significantly aggravated by the way urbanisation is being carried out," said Rajneesh Sareen, Programme Director, Sustainable Habitat Programme at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).