India has reported over 40,000 suspected heat stroke cases and over 100 deaths until mid-June this year, according to a recent UN report. This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for global action to address the growing threat of extreme heat.
The report, titled “United Nations Call to Action on Extreme Heat,” highlights the devastating impacts of rising temperatures, particularly in regions like India’s east and northwest, which have experienced temperatures nearing 50°C this summer. Churu in Rajasthan even made the list of 10 places globally experiencing temperatures above 50°C, alongside locations like Death Valley in the US and Sanbao in China.
The report comes at a time when India’s Earth Sciences ministry informed the Lok Sabha that extreme heat is not yet considered a natural disaster eligible for financial assistance. While acknowledging that heat wave deaths are declining due to improved weather prediction by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the ministry’s stance highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to tackling the economic and social consequences of extreme heat.
The UN report paints a stark picture of the global impact of extreme heat. Between 2000 and 2019, over 400,000 deaths were attributed to extreme heat annually, with Asia bearing the brunt of the burden at 45%. The report emphasizes that heat is the leading cause of all extreme-weather-related deaths.
Beyond its impact on human health, extreme heat has significant implications for economic growth. The report states that when temperatures rise above 24-26°C, labor productivity begins to decline. This decline becomes more pronounced as temperatures reach 33-34°C, leading to a 50% drop in productivity. The economic losses associated with heat stress are substantial. In 1995, the global economic loss due to heat stress at work was estimated at $280 billion, a figure projected to reach $2.4 trillion by 2030.
The UN report highlights the vulnerability of the global workforce to extreme heat. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that over 70% of the global workforce, representing 2.4 billion people, are at high risk of extreme heat, resulting in an estimated 22.85 million injuries and 18,970 deaths annually among workers.
Workers in Africa, the Arab states, and Asia are particularly susceptible to excessive heat. These regions face the highest exposure, with 93%, 84%, and 75% of their respective workforces affected. The report emphasizes that as daily temperatures exceed 34°C, labor productivity drops by 50%.
Urban and rural populations living in poverty are disproportionately affected by extreme heat due to factors like low-quality housing and limited access to cooling. Informal settlements and refugee camps often experience significantly higher temperatures due to the use of specific building materials and lack of adequate infrastructure.
The report further notes that heat amplifies the toxicity of air pollution, compounding existing health risks. Individuals with pre-existing medical conditions, including those with disabilities, face increased vulnerability. Children, with their developing immune and heat regulation systems, are particularly susceptible to the short- and long-term effects of heat stress.
UNICEF’s projections are alarming. By 2050, nearly 2.2 billion children under 18 will be exposed to high heatwave frequency, a significant increase from the 24% of children exposed in 2020.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres outlined four critical areas for addressing extreme heat:
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Caring for the vulnerable:
Prioritizing protection for vulnerable populations through evidence-based policies, multi-dimensional risk assessments, and community-driven actions.*
Protecting workers:
Implementing urgent measures to safeguard the health and lives of all workers from the risk of extreme heat through a rights-based approach.*
Boosting societies’ resilience:
Leveraging data and science to develop comprehensive heat action plans and cooling plans across all sectors and countries.*
Limiting global temperature rise:
Phasing out fossil fuels and scaling up investments in renewable energy to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.The UN report emphasizes the urgent need for global action to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat. Countries are urged to adopt evidence-based policies, multi-dimensional risk assessments, and community-driven actions to protect vulnerable populations.
The report also highlights the importance of enhancing social protection schemes to address the risks of extreme heat, reviewing occupational safety and health regulations to integrate provisions for extreme heat, and developing comprehensive heat action plans and cooling plans across all sectors and countries.
Vishwas Chitale, Senior Programme Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), emphasizes the urgency of the situation. “The recent call to action on extreme heat by the United Nations Secretary General shows heat is now an undeniable global crisis. While various countries are experiencing the impacts of extreme heat, the Global South is particularly vulnerable. As highlighted by the IPCC, health-related risks from extreme heat are poised to become the most significant climate threat for South Asian countries in the near future.”
Chitale underscores the need for data-driven and localized heat action plans in India, acknowledging the country’s commendable efforts in implementing local heat action plans over the past decade. “However, as emphasized by the UN Secretary General, it is now crucial for these plans to be grounded in data and science, continuously updated, be more localized and focus on sector-specific heat risk mitigation.”
The UN report serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for global cooperation and decisive action to address the growing threat of extreme heat. The world must act now to protect vulnerable populations, safeguard workers, and build resilient societies capable of adapting to a warming planet.
