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2022 Takes Record For Second Hottest Summer After 2010; Experts Show Concern Over Absence of Heat-Mitigation Measures

While extreme heat waves in the states of the northwest draw maximum public attention, the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country has been largely neglected, indicated a new country-wide analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday. The seasonal average air temperature for the 2022 summer was 1.24°C warmer than the baseline trends. Moreover, the heat waves lashing India this summer are symptomatic of the anomalous temperature trends that are expected to worsen with growing climate change impacts, it said. This year's summer was the second hottest after the summer of 2010. Megacities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad are much hotter than the larger region around them due to heat island effects caused by surface absorption of heat and local waste heat generated by traffic, industry and air conditioning, among other urban activities, the latest CSE analysis said. Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of research and advocacy at CSE, talking about the neglect of increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country, says: "This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India," said "Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and water bodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation," she said. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager at Urban Lab, CSE, said: "Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem." The Urban Lab of CSE has analysed the temperature trends in India from January 2015 to May 2022. Surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) have been studied at the national, regional, and local levels in an effort to understand the patterns in global warming. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 — pre-monsoon or summer (March, April and May as per IMD classification) — is 1.24°C warmer than the baseline trends that relate to 1971-2000 climatology. Baselines are defined based on historical timelines and may vary for different metrics; the anomaly is generally computed from the 1951-80, 1971-2000, or 1981-2010 climatology baseline. This is warmer than the 1.20°C anomaly noted in the 2016 pre-monsoon season but lower than the 1.45°C anomaly recorded in 2010. Similarly, the land surface temperature anomaly has been extreme this pre-monsoon season, with a 1.46°C departure from the baseline (1971-2000). It must be noted that pre-monsoon seasonal trends in both land and air temperature are identical to the annual trends, but with more pronounced highs and lows. Monsoon is hotter than the pre-monsoon period on average, while winter and post-monsoon seasons are warming up faster.

Heat stress rising in India, heat waves second biggest killer among natural forces

Even though the monsoon has begun to affect the entire country, many areas still seem to be experiencing intense heat which is exacerbated by sharp increases in humidity. This summer's heat waves in India are a reflection of the unusual temperature trends that are anticipated to get worse as the effects of climate change become more pronounced. After the summer of 2010, the summer of 2022 has been the second-hottest summer since 2016. Due to heat island effects brought on by surface heat absorption and local waste heat produced by traffic, industry, and air conditioning, megacities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad are significantly hotter than the greater territory around them (among other urban activities). According to a recent country-wide by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), while extreme heat waves in the northwest states as defined by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) attract the most public attention, the rise in overall anomalous temperature in other parts of the nation has been largely ignored. "This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India. Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and water bodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE said "Understanding the overall temperature anomaly, extreme heat conditions, and the mixed trends in heat patterns across different regions of India has become necessary to assess the emergent risk. Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem". Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) that also captures accidental deaths including those from climatic stress, shows that between 2015 and 2020, 2,137 people had reportedly died due to heat stroke in the states in the northwest. But the southern peninsula region had reported 2,444 deaths due to excessive environmental heat, with Andhra Pradesh alone accounting for over half of the reported casualties. Delhi reported only one death for the same period. Most deaths have been reported among working-age men (30-60-year-olds), usually not considered highly vulnerable to temperature anomalies. The understanding of the public health impacts of meteorological conditions like heat waves is still weak in India. Heat waves are the second most deadly natural force in India, having killed over 20,615 people during 2000-20. Lightning, with 49,679 deaths, was the top killer. There has been a decline in the number of reported deaths since 2015 when IMD reported 2,081 deaths and NCRB reported 1,908 deaths. There were no deaths reported by IMD in 2021 and NCRB is yet to publish the 2021 edition of its annual Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI). The temperature trends in India from January 2015 to May 2022 were studied by the Urban Lab of CSE. Surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) have been studied at the national, regional, and local levels in an effort to understand the patterns in global warming. Additionally, the patterns in the metropolises of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad in each of the four homogeneous zones of the IMD have been evaluated. A CSE release said the temperature anomaly has been examined by the analysis (which refers to a departure from a reference value or long-term average or a baseline). A positive anomaly means that the temperature was higher than the baseline, whereas a negative anomaly means that it was lower. It typically serves to report monthly, seasonal, yearly, or decadal fluctuations in temperature. Although significantly shorter in duration and characterised in contrast to an absolute temperature threshold as well as deviation from the usual, heat waves are likewise anomalous temperature events. (ANI)

2022 pre-monsoon summer heat overtake 2016 as 2nd hottest pre-monsoon season on record: CSE

While extreme heat waves in the states of the northwest draw maximum public attention, the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country have been largely neglected, indicated a new country-wide analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 summer was 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends. Moreover, the heat waves lashing India this summer are symptomatic of the anomalous temperature trends that is expected to worsen with growing climate change impacts, it said. Year 2022 summer was the second hottest after the summer of 2010. Mega cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad are much hotter than the larger region around them due to heat island effects caused by surface absorption of heat and local waste heat generated by traffic, industry and air conditioning (among other urban activities), the latest CSE analysis said. Talking about the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country that have been largely neglected, “This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. “Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and waterbodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation,” she said. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE, said: “Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem.” The Urban Lab of CSE has analysed the temperature trends in India from January 2015 till May 2022. The effort has been to understand the warming trends by covering all three dimensions of heat stress — surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) — at the national, regional and local levels. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 — pre-monsoon or summer (March, April and May as per IMD classification) — is 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends that relate to 1971-2000 climatology. Baselines are defined based on historical timelines and may vary for different metrics; the anomaly is generally computed from the 1951-80, 1971-2000, or 1981-2010 climatology baseline. This is warmer than the 1.20 degrees Celsius anomaly noted in 2016 pre-monsoon, but lower than the 1.45 degrees Celsius anomaly recorded in the 2010 pre-monsoon season. Similarly, land surface temperature anomaly has been extreme this pre-monsoon season, with a 1.46 degrees Celsius departure from the baseline (1971-2000). It must be noted that pre-monsoon seasonal trends in both land and air temperature are identical to the annual trends, but with more pronounced highs and lows. Monsoon is hotter than the pre-monsoon period on an average, while winter and post-monsoon seasons are warming up faster. High heat stress and heat waves in the northwestern states, but Other regions even hotter in absolute terms.

Pre-monsoon heat of 2022 overtakes 2016 in India: CSE

Even as the monsoon has made its footfalls felt across the country, there seems to be little respite from the searing heat – aided by steep rises in humidity levels — in many pockets. The heat waves lashing India this summer are symptomatic of the anomalous temperature trends that are expected to worsen with growing climate change impacts. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed some key findings which states 2022 pre-monsoon summer heat trends overtake 2016 as the second hottest pre-monsoon season on record for India As per the finding, the seasonal average air temperature for 2022 — pre-monsoon or summer (March, April and May as per IMD classification) — is 1.24°C warmer than the baseline trends that relate to 1971-2000 climatology. “This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India. Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and waterbodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. “Understanding the overall temperature anomaly, extreme heat conditions, and the mixed trends in heat patterns across different regions of India has become necessary to assess the emergent risk. Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem,” says Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE.

Heat stress rising in India, heat waves second biggest killer among natural forces

Even though the monsoon has begun to affect the entire country, many areas still seem to be experiencing intense heat which is exacerbated by sharp increases in humidity. This summer's heat waves in India are a reflection of the unusual temperature trends that are anticipated to get worse as the effects of climate change become more pronounced. After the summer of 2010, the summer of 2022 has been the second-hottest summer since 2016. Due to heat island effects brought on by surface heat absorption and local waste heat produced by traffic, industry, and air conditioning, megacities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad are significantly hotter than the greater territory around them (among other urban activities). According to a recent country-wide by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), while extreme heat waves in the northwest states as defined by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) attract the most public attention, the rise in overall anomalous temperature in other parts of the nation has been largely ignored. "This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India. Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and water bodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE said "Understanding the overall temperature anomaly, extreme heat conditions, and the mixed trends in heat patterns across different regions of India has become necessary to assess the emergent risk. Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem". Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) that also captures accidental deaths including those from climatic stress, shows that between 2015 and 2020, 2,137 people had reportedly died due to heat stroke in the states in the northwest. But the southern peninsula region had reported 2,444 deaths due to excessive environmental heat, with Andhra Pradesh alone accounting for over half of the reported casualties. Delhi reported only one death for the same period. Most deaths have been reported among working-age men (30-60-year-olds), usually not considered highly vulnerable to temperature anomalies. The understanding of the public health impacts of meteorological conditions like heat waves is still weak in India. Heat waves are the second most deadly natural force in India, having killed over 20,615 people during 2000-20. Lightning, with 49,679 deaths, was the top killer. There has been a decline in the number of reported deaths since 2015 when IMD reported 2,081 deaths and NCRB reported 1,908 deaths. There were no deaths reported by IMD in 2021 and NCRB is yet to publish the 2021 edition of its annual Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI). The temperature trends in India from January 2015 to May 2022 were studied by the Urban Lab of CSE. Surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) have been studied at the national, regional, and local levels in an effort to understand the patterns in global warming. Additionally, the patterns in the metropolises of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad in each of the four homogeneous zones of the IMD have been evaluated. A CSE release said the temperature anomaly has been examined by the analysis (which refers to a departure from a reference value or long-term average or a baseline). A positive anomaly means that the temperature was higher than the baseline, whereas a negative anomaly means that it was lower. It typically serves to report monthly, seasonal, yearly, or decadal fluctuations in temperature. Although significantly shorter in duration and characterised in contrast to an absolute temperature threshold as well as deviation from the usual, heat waves are likewise anomalous temperature events. (ANI)

2022 pre-monsoon summer heat overtake 2016 as 2nd hottest pre-monsoon season on record: CSE

While extreme heat waves in the states of the northwest draw maximum public attention, the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country have been largely neglected, indicated a new country-wide analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 summer was 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends. Moreover, the heat waves lashing India this summer are symptomatic of the anomalous temperature trends that is expected to worsen with growing climate change impacts, it said. Year 2022 summer was the second hottest after the summer of 2010. Mega cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad are much hotter than the larger region around them due to heat island effects caused by surface absorption of heat and local waste heat generated by traffic, industry and air conditioning (among other urban activities), the latest CSE analysis said. Talking about the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country that have been largely neglected, "This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. "Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and waterbodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation," she said. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE, said: "Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem." The Urban Lab of CSE has analysed the temperature trends in India from January 2015 till May 2022. The effort has been to understand the warming trends by covering all three dimensions of heat stress -- surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) -- at the national, regional and local levels. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 -- pre-monsoon or summer (March, April and May as per IMD classification) -- is 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends that relate to 1971-2000 climatology. Baselines are defined based on historical timelines and may vary for different metrics; the anomaly is generally computed from the 1951-80, 1971-2000, or 1981-2010 climatology baseline. This is warmer than the 1.20 degrees Celsius anomaly noted in 2016 pre-monsoon, but lower than the 1.45 degrees Celsius anomaly recorded in the 2010 pre-monsoon season. Similarly, land surface temperature anomaly has been extreme this pre-monsoon season, with a 1.46 degrees Celsius departure from the baseline (1971-2000). It must be noted that pre-monsoon seasonal trends in both land and air temperature are identical to the annual trends, but with more pronounced highs and lows. Monsoon is hotter than the pre-monsoon period on an average, while winter and post-monsoon seasons are warming up faster. High heat stress and heat waves in the northwestern states, but Other regions even hotter in absolute terms.

2022 pre-monsoon summer heat overtake 2016 as 2nd hottest pre-monsoon season on record: CSE

While extreme heat waves in the states of the northwest draw maximum public attention, the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country have been largely neglected, indicated a new country-wide analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 summer was 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends. Moreover, the heat waves lashing India this summer are symptomatic of the anomalous temperature trends that is expected to worsen with growing climate change impacts, it said. Year 2022 summer was the second hottest after the summer of 2010. Mega cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad are much hotter than the larger region around them due to heat island effects caused by surface absorption of heat and local waste heat generated by traffic, industry and air conditioning (among other urban activities), the latest CSE analysis said. Talking about the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country that have been largely neglected, “This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. “Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and waterbodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation,” she said. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE, said: “Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem.” The Urban Lab of CSE has analysed the temperature trends in India from January 2015 till May 2022. The effort has been to understand the warming trends by covering all three dimensions of heat stress — surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) — at the national, regional and local levels. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 — pre-monsoon or summer (March, April and May as per IMD classification) — is 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends that relate to 1971-2000 climatology. Baselines are defined based on historical timelines and may vary for different metrics; the anomaly is generally computed from the 1951-80, 1971-2000, or 1981-2010 climatology baseline. This is warmer than the 1.20 degrees Celsius anomaly noted in 2016 pre-monsoon, but lower than the 1.45 degrees Celsius anomaly recorded in the 2010 pre-monsoon season. Similarly, land surface temperature anomaly has been extreme this pre-monsoon season, with a 1.46 degrees Celsius departure from the baseline (1971-2000). It must be noted that pre-monsoon seasonal trends in both land and air temperature are identical to the annual trends, but with more pronounced highs and lows. Monsoon is hotter than the pre-monsoon period on an average, while winter and post-monsoon seasons are warming up faster. High heat stress and heat waves in the northwestern states, but Other regions even hotter in absolute terms.

Heat stress rising in India, heat waves second biggest killer among natural forces

Even though the monsoon has begun to affect the entire country, many areas still seem to be experiencing intense heat which is exacerbated by sharp increases in humidity. This summer's heat waves in India are a reflection of the unusual temperature trends that are anticipated to get worse as the effects of climate change become more pronounced. After the summer of 2010, the summer of 2022 has been the second-hottest summer since 2016. Due to heat island effects brought on by surface heat absorption and local waste heat produced by traffic, industry, and air conditioning, megacities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad are significantly hotter than the greater territory around them (among other urban activities). According to a recent country-wide by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), while extreme heat waves in the northwest states as defined by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) attract the most public attention, the rise in overall anomalous temperature in other parts of the nation has been largely ignored. "This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India. Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and water bodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE said "Understanding the overall temperature anomaly, extreme heat conditions, and the mixed trends in heat patterns across different regions of India has become necessary to assess the emergent risk. Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem". Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) that also captures accidental deaths including those from climatic stress, shows that between 2015 and 2020, 2,137 people had reportedly died due to heat stroke in the states in the northwest. But the southern peninsula region had reported 2,444 deaths due to excessive environmental heat, with Andhra Pradesh alone accounting for over half of the reported casualties. Delhi reported only one death for the same period. Most deaths have been reported among working-age men (30-60-year-olds), usually not considered highly vulnerable to temperature anomalies. The understanding of the public health impacts of meteorological conditions like heat waves is still weak in India. Heat waves are the second most deadly natural force in India, having killed over 20,615 people during 2000-20. Lightning, with 49,679 deaths, was the top killer. There has been a decline in the number of reported deaths since 2015 when IMD reported 2,081 deaths and NCRB reported 1,908 deaths. There were no deaths reported by IMD in 2021 and NCRB is yet to publish the 2021 edition of its annual Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI). The temperature trends in India from January 2015 to May 2022 were studied by the Urban Lab of CSE. Surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) have been studied at the national, regional, and local levels in an effort to understand the patterns in global warming. Additionally, the patterns in the metropolises of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad in each of the four homogeneous zones of the IMD have been evaluated. A CSE release said the temperature anomaly has been examined by the analysis (which refers to a departure from a reference value or long-term average or a baseline). A positive anomaly means that the temperature was higher than the baseline, whereas a negative anomaly means that it was lower. It typically serves to report monthly, seasonal, yearly, or decadal fluctuations in temperature. Although significantly shorter in duration and characterised in contrast to an absolute temperature threshold as well as deviation from the usual, heat waves are likewise anomalous temperature events. (ANI)

Heat Stress Rising In India, Becomes 2nd Biggest Killer Among Natural Forces

Even though the monsoon has begun to affect the entire country, many areas still seem to be experiencing intense heat which is exacerbated by sharp increases in humidity. This summer’s heat waves in India are a reflection of the unusual temperature trends that are anticipated to get worse as the effects of climate change become more pronounced. After the summer of 2010, the summer of 2022 has been the second-hottest summer since 2016. Due to heat island effects brought on by surface heat absorption and local waste heat produced by traffic, industry, and air conditioning, megacities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad are significantly hotter than the greater territory around them (among other urban activities). According to a recent country-wide by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), while extreme heat waves in the northwest states as defined by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) attract the most public attention, the rise in overall anomalous temperature in other parts of the nation has been largely ignored. “This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India. Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and water bodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE said “Understanding the overall temperature anomaly, extreme heat conditions, and the mixed trends in heat patterns across different regions of India has become necessary to assess the emergent risk. Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem”. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) that also captures accidental deaths including those from climatic stress, shows that between 2015 and 2020, 2,137 people had reportedly died due to heat stroke in the states in the northwest. But the southern peninsula region had reported 2,444 deaths due to excessive environmental heat, with Andhra Pradesh alone accounting for over half of the reported casualties. Delhi reported only one death for the same period. Most deaths have been reported among working-age men (30-60-year-olds), usually not considered highly vulnerable to temperature anomalies. The understanding of the public health impacts of meteorological conditions like heat waves is still weak in India. Heat waves are the second most deadly natural force in India, having killed over 20,615 people during 2000-20. Lightning, with 49,679 deaths, was the top killer. There has been a decline in the number of reported deaths since 2015 when IMD reported 2,081 deaths and NCRB reported 1,908 deaths. There were no deaths reported by IMD in 2021 and NCRB is yet to publish the 2021 edition of its annual Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI). The temperature trends in India from January 2015 to May 2022 were studied by the Urban Lab of CSE. Surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) have been studied at the national, regional, and local levels in an effort to understand the patterns in global warming. Additionally, the patterns in the metropolises of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad in each of the four homogeneous zones of the IMD have been evaluated. A CSE release said the temperature anomaly has been examined by the analysis (which refers to a departure from a reference value or long-term average or a baseline). A positive anomaly means that the temperature was higher than the baseline, whereas a negative anomaly means that it was lower. It typically serves to report monthly, seasonal, yearly, or decadal fluctuations in temperature. Although significantly shorter in duration and characterised in contrast to an absolute temperature threshold as well as deviation from the usual, heat waves are likewise anomalous temperature events.

2022 pre-monsoon summer heat overtake 2016 as 2nd hottest pre-monsoon season on record: CSE

While extreme heat waves in the states of the northwest draw maximum public attention, the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country have been largely neglected, indicated a new country-wide analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 summer was 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends. Moreover, the heat waves lashing India this summer are symptomatic of the anomalous temperature trends that is expected to worsen with growing climate change impacts, it said. Year 2022 summer was the second hottest after the summer of 2010. Mega cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad are much hotter than the larger region around them due to heat island effects caused by surface absorption of heat and local waste heat generated by traffic, industry and air conditioning (among other urban activities), the latest CSE analysis said. Talking about the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country that have been largely neglected, "This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. "Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and waterbodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation," she said. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE, said: "Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem." The Urban Lab of CSE has analysed the temperature trends in India from January 2015 till May 2022. The effort has been to understand the warming trends by covering all three dimensions of heat stress -- surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) -- at the national, regional and local levels. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 -- pre-monsoon or summer (March, April and May as per IMD classification) -- is 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends that relate to 1971-2000 climatology. Baselines are defined based on historical timelines and may vary for different metrics; the anomaly is generally computed from the 1951-80, 1971-2000, or 1981-2010 climatology baseline. This is warmer than the 1.20 degrees Celsius anomaly noted in 2016 pre-monsoon, but lower than the 1.45 degrees Celsius anomaly recorded in the 2010 pre-monsoon season. Similarly, land surface temperature anomaly has been extreme this pre-monsoon season, with a 1.46 degrees Celsius departure from the baseline (1971-2000). It must be noted that pre-monsoon seasonal trends in both land and air temperature are identical to the annual trends, but with more pronounced highs and lows. Monsoon is hotter than the pre-monsoon period on an average, while winter and post-monsoon seasons are warming up faster. High heat stress and heat waves in the northwestern states, but Other regions even hotter in absolute terms.

2022 pre-monsoon summer heat overtake 2016 as 2nd hottest pre-monsoon season on record: CSE

While extreme heat waves in the states of the northwest draw maximum public attention, the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country have been largely neglected, indicated a new country-wide analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 summer was 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends. Moreover, the heat waves lashing India this summer are symptomatic of the anomalous temperature trends that is expected to worsen with growing climate change impacts, it said. Year 2022 summer was the second hottest after the summer of 2010. Mega cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad are much hotter than the larger region around them due to heat island effects caused by surface absorption of heat and local waste heat generated by traffic, industry and air conditioning (among other urban activities), the latest CSE analysis said. Talking about the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country that have been largely neglected, "This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. "Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and waterbodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation," she said. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE, said: "Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem." The Urban Lab of CSE has analysed the temperature trends in India from January 2015 till May 2022. The effort has been to understand the warming trends by covering all three dimensions of heat stress -- surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) -- at the national, regional and local levels. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 -- pre-monsoon or summer (March, April and May as per IMD classification) -- is 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends that relate to 1971-2000 climatology. Baselines are defined based on historical timelines and may vary for different metrics; the anomaly is generally computed from the 1951-80, 1971-2000, or 1981-2010 climatology baseline. This is warmer than the 1.20 degrees Celsius anomaly noted in 2016 pre-monsoon, but lower than the 1.45 degrees Celsius anomaly recorded in the 2010 pre-monsoon season. Similarly, land surface temperature anomaly has been extreme this pre-monsoon season, with a 1.46 degrees Celsius departure from the baseline (1971-2000). It must be noted that pre-monsoon seasonal trends in both land and air temperature are identical to the annual trends, but with more pronounced highs and lows. Monsoon is hotter than the pre-monsoon period on an average, while winter and post-monsoon seasons are warming up faster. High heat stress and heat waves in the northwestern states, but Other regions even hotter in absolute terms.

2022 pre-monsoon summer heat overtake 2016 as 2nd hottest pre-monsoon season on record: CSE

While extreme heat waves in the states of the northwest draw maximum public attention, the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country have been largely neglected, indicated a new country-wide analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 summer was 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends. Moreover, the heat waves lashing India this summer are symptomatic of the anomalous temperature trends that is expected to worsen with growing climate change impacts, it said. Year 2022 summer was the second hottest after the summer of 2010. Mega cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad are much hotter than the larger region around them due to heat island effects caused by surface absorption of heat and local waste heat generated by traffic, industry and air conditioning (among other urban activities), the latest CSE analysis said. Talking about the increase in overall anomalous temperature in other regions of the country that have been largely neglected, “This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. “Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and waterbodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation,” she said. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE, said: “Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem.” The Urban Lab of CSE has analysed the temperature trends in India from January 2015 till May 2022. The effort has been to understand the warming trends by covering all three dimensions of heat stress — surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) — at the national, regional and local levels. The seasonal average air temperature for 2022 — pre-monsoon or summer (March, April and May as per IMD classification) — is 1.24 degrees Celsius warmer than the baseline trends that relate to 1971-2000 climatology. Baselines are defined based on historical timelines and may vary for different metrics; the anomaly is generally computed from the 1951-80, 1971-2000, or 1981-2010 climatology baseline. This is warmer than the 1.20 degrees Celsius anomaly noted in 2016 pre-monsoon, but lower than the 1.45 degrees Celsius anomaly recorded in the 2010 pre-monsoon season. Similarly, land surface temperature anomaly has been extreme this pre-monsoon season, with a 1.46 degrees Celsius departure from the baseline (1971-2000). It must be noted that pre-monsoon seasonal trends in both land and air temperature are identical to the annual trends, but with more pronounced highs and lows. Monsoon is hotter than the pre-monsoon period on an average, while winter and post-monsoon seasons are warming up faster. High heat stress and heat waves in the northwestern states, but Other regions even hotter in absolute terms.

Heat stress rising in India, heat waves second biggest killer among natural forces

Even though the monsoon has begun to affect the entire country, many areas still seem to be experiencing intense heat which is exacerbated by sharp increases in humidity. This summer’s heat waves in India are a reflection of the unusual temperature trends that are anticipated to get worse as the effects of climate change become more pronounced. After the summer of 2010, the summer of 2022 has been the second-hottest summer since 2016. Due to heat island effects brought on by surface heat absorption and local waste heat produced by traffic, industry, and air conditioning, megacities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad are significantly hotter than the greater territory around them (among other urban activities). According to a recent country-wide by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), while extreme heat waves in the northwest states as defined by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) attract the most public attention, the rise in overall anomalous temperature in other parts of the nation has been largely ignored. “This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India. Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and water bodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE said “Understanding the overall temperature anomaly, extreme heat conditions, and the mixed trends in heat patterns across different regions of India has become necessary to assess the emergent risk. Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem”. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) that also captures accidental deaths including those from climatic stress, shows that between 2015 and 2020, 2,137 people had reportedly died due to heat stroke in the states in the northwest. But the southern peninsula region had reported 2,444 deaths due to excessive environmental heat, with Andhra Pradesh alone accounting for over half of the reported casualties. Delhi reported only one death for the same period. Most deaths have been reported among working-age men (30-60-year-olds), usually not considered highly vulnerable to temperature anomalies. The understanding of the public health impacts of meteorological conditions like heat waves is still weak in India. Heat waves are the second most deadly natural force in India, having killed over 20,615 people during 2000-20. Lightning, with 49,679 deaths, was the top killer. There has been a decline in the number of reported deaths since 2015 when IMD reported 2,081 deaths and NCRB reported 1,908 deaths. There were no deaths reported by IMD in 2021 and NCRB is yet to publish the 2021 edition of its annual Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI). The temperature trends in India from January 2015 to May 2022 were studied by the Urban Lab of CSE. Surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) have been studied at the national, regional, and local levels in an effort to understand the patterns in global warming. Additionally, the patterns in the metropolises of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad in each of the four homogeneous zones of the IMD have been evaluated. A CSE release said the temperature anomaly has been examined by the analysis (which refers to a departure from a reference value or long-term average or a baseline). A positive anomaly means that the temperature was higher than the baseline, whereas a negative anomaly means that it was lower. It typically serves to report monthly, seasonal, yearly, or decadal fluctuations in temperature. Although significantly shorter in duration and characterised in contrast to an absolute temperature threshold as well as deviation from the usual, heat waves are likewise anomalous temperature events. (ANI)

Heat stress rising in India, heat waves second biggest killer among natural forces

Even though the monsoon has begun to affect the entire country, many areas still seem to be experiencing intense heat which is exacerbated by sharp increases in humidity. This summer’s heat waves in India are a reflection of the unusual temperature trends that are anticipated to get worse as the effects of climate change become more pronounced. After the summer of 2010, the summer of 2022 has been the second-hottest summer since 2016. Due to heat island effects brought on by surface heat absorption and local waste heat produced by traffic, industry, and air conditioning, megacities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad are significantly hotter than the greater territory around them (among other urban activities). According to a recent country-wide by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), while extreme heat waves in the northwest states as defined by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) attract the most public attention, the rise in overall anomalous temperature in other parts of the nation has been largely ignored. “This is a very disturbing trend as policy preparedness to mitigate rising heat due to climate change is nearly absent in India. Without heat action plans, rising air temperature, radiating heat from land surfaces, concretisation, heat-trapping built structures, waste heat from industrial processes and air conditioners, and erosion of heat dousing forests, urban greens and water bodies will worsen public health risks. This requires urgent time-bound mitigation,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, Urban Lab, CSE said “Understanding the overall temperature anomaly, extreme heat conditions, and the mixed trends in heat patterns across different regions of India has become necessary to assess the emergent risk. Currently, the attention is largely on the maximum daily heat levels and extreme conditions of heat waves. But it is equally important to pay attention to the overall rising temperature and humidity trends in different regions to understand the gravity of the problem”. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) that also captures accidental deaths including those from climatic stress, shows that between 2015 and 2020, 2,137 people had reportedly died due to heat stroke in the states in the northwest. But the southern peninsula region had reported 2,444 deaths due to excessive environmental heat, with Andhra Pradesh alone accounting for over half of the reported casualties. Delhi reported only one death for the same period. Most deaths have been reported among working-age men (30-60-year-olds), usually not considered highly vulnerable to temperature anomalies. The understanding of the public health impacts of meteorological conditions like heat waves is still weak in India. Heat waves are the second most deadly natural force in India, having killed over 20,615 people during 2000-20. Lightning, with 49,679 deaths, was the top killer. There has been a decline in the number of reported deaths since 2015 when IMD reported 2,081 deaths and NCRB reported 1,908 deaths. There were no deaths reported by IMD in 2021 and NCRB is yet to publish the 2021 edition of its annual Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI). The temperature trends in India from January 2015 to May 2022 were studied by the Urban Lab of CSE. Surface air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity (heat index) have been studied at the national, regional, and local levels in an effort to understand the patterns in global warming. Additionally, the patterns in the metropolises of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad in each of the four homogeneous zones of the IMD have been evaluated. A CSE release said the temperature anomaly has been examined by the analysis (which refers to a departure from a reference value or long-term average or a baseline). A positive anomaly means that the temperature was higher than the baseline, whereas a negative anomaly means that it was lower. It typically serves to report monthly, seasonal, yearly, or decadal fluctuations in temperature. Although significantly shorter in duration and characterised in contrast to an absolute temperature threshold as well as deviation from the usual, heat waves are likewise anomalous temperature events. (ANI)