Ishita Roy

Excessive Heat Rising In India Can Lead To Health Risks

Usage of Fossil Fuel leads to deaths

A recent 2024 report by the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change noted that 10 of the 15 indicators it uses for monitoring climate change-related health hazards globally have reached "concerning new records".

The study tracks climate impacts on human health and it has pointed out that health-threatening temperatures are getting increasingly prolonged in India. 

In 2023, the citizens were exposed to at least 2,400 hours of heat, which is equivalent to 100 days. This could lead to moderate to serious heat-related diseases.

"Strengthening public health systems and sector-specific cooling plans, including revised working hours, can reduce heat exposure and prevent health impacts. Additionally, there is an urgent need for financial support for sector-wide adaptation,” the report says about India.

The report flagged the potential health impacts of rising instances of flooding, increasing vulnerability to infectious diseases, and high levels of air pollution. These are all increasing due to climate change. The biggest risk as per the report is from heat as it led to the loss of 181 billion potential labour hours, an increase of 50% from 1990-1999 on average.

Poornima Prabhakaran, director of the Centre for Health Analytics Research and Trends at Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, who co-authored the India policy brief in the report, said "The increasing burden of heat and flood-related illnesses and climate-sensitive infectious diseases warranted urgent and strategic measures that are both data-centric and decentralised," as reported by The Indian Express.

“Redirecting fossil fuel subsidy funds to incentivising the expansion and affordability of low-carbon power and to health-promoting interventions would deliver net benefits to local populations, and support a just transition,” the report reads.

“We all recognise the need to reduce fossil fuel dependency. However, the shift toward cleaner energy must be managed in a fair and inclusive manner. It cannot come at the cost of basic level energy access to most vulnerable and marginalised communities throughout the world,” said Kalpana Balakrishnan, director of WHO collaborating centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research in Chennai.

The report also mentions that 38% of 1.6 million deaths happened due to air pollution in 2021 due to the high usage of fossil fuels. It also notes the rising share of renewable energy in India's energy mix and highlights that more needs to be done.

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A recent 2024 report by the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change noted that 10 of the 15 indicators it uses for monitoring climate change-related health hazards globally have reached "concerning new records".The study tracks climate impacts on human health and it has pointed out that health-threatening temperatures are getting increasingly prolonged in India. What The Findings Say?In 2023, the citizens were exposed to at least 2,400 hours of heat, which is equivalent to 100 days. This could lead to moderate to serious heat-related diseases. "Strengthening public health systems and sector-specific cooling plans, including revised working hours, can reduce heat exposure and prevent health impacts. Additionally, there is an urgent need for financial support for sector-wide adaptation,” the report says about India.What Does It Mean For India?The report flagged the potential health impacts of rising instances of flooding, increasing vulnerability to infectious diseases, and high levels of air pollution. These are all increasing due to climate change. The biggest risk as per the report is from heat as it led to the loss of 181 billion potential labour hours, an increase of 50% from 1990-1999 on average. Poornima Prabhakaran, director of the Centre for Health Analytics Research and Trends at Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, who co-authored the India policy brief in the report, said "The increasing burden of heat and flood-related illnesses and climate-sensitive infectious diseases warranted urgent and strategic measures that are both data-centric and decentralised," as reported by The Indian Express.“Redirecting fossil fuel subsidy funds to incentivising the expansion and affordability of low-carbon power and to health-promoting interventions would deliver net benefits to local populations, and support a just transition,” the report reads.“We all recognise the need to reduce fossil fuel dependency. However, the shift toward cleaner energy must be managed in a fair and inclusive manner. It cannot come at the cost of basic level energy access to most vulnerable and marginalised communities throughout the world,” said Kalpana Balakrishnan, director of WHO collaborating centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research in Chennai.The report also mentions that 38% of 1.6 million deaths happened due to air pollution in 2021 due to the high usage of fossil fuels. It also notes the rising share of renewable energy in India's energy mix and highlights that more needs to be done.