Opinion: Why India’s Heat Planning is in the Hot Seat
India’s cities are facing record heatwaves, with temperatures nearing 48°C and rising risks to public health, workers and urban livability. This in-depth analysis explains why India’s heat planning is under scrutiny, how Heat Action Plans, early warning systems and tools like CHAITRA and EHI-N aim to build targeted, people-centric heat resilience, and why integrated, long-term strategies are critical for climate adaptation.
Opinion: Beat the heat, don’t break the grid
India’s power grid is buckling under the summer heat. Air conditioners (ACs) are fast becoming the single largest driver of peak electricity demand — contributing as much as 70 GW, or 25%. ACs are power guzzlers, each consuming 100-150 times the electricity of an LED bulb.