India’s cities are becoming increasingly unbearable each summer, with the most vulnerable populations—informal workers, the elderly, pregnant women, and infants—suffering the worst effects. These groups are confined to concrete urban pockets where temperatures can be several degrees higher than surrounding rural areas.
The informal workforce, which powers nearly half of India’s economy and accounts for an estimated 45 to 50 per cent of the nation’s GDP, remains the most exposed to extreme heat. In an exclusive interview with PTI Videos on World Environment Day, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Andersen highlighted the deeply concerning situation, particularly for those who work outdoors performing physical labour and for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, infants, and individuals with other illnesses.
Andersen noted that construction workers, street vendors, agricultural labourers, and others in physically demanding outdoor occupations are at particular risk, as extreme heat threatens both their health and livelihoods. “Right now, heat stress kills more people every year than floods, storms, and wildfires combined. If we focus just on workers, we are talking about approximately 2.4 billion people, roughly 70 per cent of the global workforce, who are likely exposed to dangerous heat,” she told PTI.
In India, around 82 per cent of the informal workforce is exposed to such conditions. Andersen described New Delhi as one of the hottest major cities on the planet, with temperatures approaching 50 degrees Celsius when humidity is factored in, making it beyond livable.
Comprehensive Response Needed
Outlining the dimensions of a comprehensive response, the UNEP Chief cited measures such as Heat Action Plans (HAPs), cooling centres, access to adequate water, early warning systems, shaded rest areas, cool roofs in informal settlements, and adjusted work hours during peak heat. Among these, passive cooling emerges as one of the most underrated yet effective approaches.
Passive cooling includes cool roofs, green roofs, reflective windows, and other design choices that are often framed only as climate solutions but also serve as a public health intervention hiding in plain sight. “What is encouraging is that we are beginning to see meaningful investments in this space,” Andersen said. “From UNEP’s side, we are proud to lead what we call the Cool Coalition. India, for instance, is putting one and a half billion dollars from its National Disaster Mitigation Fund into redesigning and reallocating resources for passive cooling.”
Drawing a comparison between walking through a countryside field and walking through a concrete urban setting, Andersen emphasised that cities need to be fundamentally rethought around cooling. She cited the example of the Kashmir Gate Interstate Bus Terminal in Delhi, where a cool roof covering nearly 1,50,000 square feet is being installed to bring down temperatures for around one lakh commuters daily. “India’s flagship Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban scheme is also investing in passive cooling for approximately ten million homes by 2029,” she added.
Benefits of Passive Cooling
Passive cooling encompasses green roofs, reflective roofs, more trees where possible, smart buildings, and smart glazing. These measures can bring down temperatures, reduce the cost of cooling, and lower electricity bills. Andersen explained that passive cooling through thoughtful wall and roof design, glazing, shading, ventilation, and the creation of green and blue spaces is how costs can be brought down more affordably than relying on expensive, energy-intensive air conditioners.
The ‘Beat the Heat’ or ‘Mutirao contra o Calor Extremo’ initiative is an international effort launched by the Brazil COP30 Presidency and the UNEP-led Cool Coalition to accelerate the deployment of sustainable cooling and heat resilience solutions in cities worldwide. This initiative aims to turn the ambitions of the Global Cooling Pledge into on-the-ground action. More than 230 cities across over 40 countries and 108 partner organisations have joined, including 44 Indian cities—30 from Maharashtra and 11 from Tamil Nadu.
Current Pace of Adaptation
When asked if the current pace of heat adaptation in India is commensurate with the speed at which heat risk is growing, Andersen said, “It is a catch-up process, but we are very glad to see 44 cities enrolled (in ‘Beat the Heat’) and the government stepping into this space to lead. The reality, however, remains stark: across the world, more than one billion people lack adequate cooling, including many in India. If we do not act, that number will rise from one billion to three billion by 2050 as temperatures continue to climb.”
She underscored that urban heat is intense and the poor face the heaviest exposure, as local temperatures in cities can be more than ten degrees higher than in rural areas, where a breeze and natural habitat help with cooling. “Has India caught up? No, but then, no one has. What we need to see is consistent, steady investment in the cooling aspect, especially in urban settings, alongside a very proactive effort to address CO2 emissions and greenhouse gases, because ultimately that is how we keep global temperature rise within a livable range,” the UNEP chief told PTI.
She also mentioned that 74 countries have pledged to reduce global cooling-related emissions by 68 per cent by 2050, and 134 out of 193 countries have integrated cooling into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). On parametric insurance as a safety net, Andersen said rolling out such systems is critical for worker protection and reducing heat fatalities. While not all countries can afford it, protecting the workforce ultimately means protecting long-term productivity and human capital.
