New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) India has called for enhanced global collaboration to develop a real-time, localised heat-humidity index tailored to regional vulnerabilities as it noted that such climate extremes are trans-boundary and systemic threats.
“India has taken a proactive and forward-thinking approach to extreme heat risk management under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Dr PK Mishra, principal secretary to the Prime Minister.
Delivering the keynote address during the special session on Extreme Heat Risk Governance in Geneva, he stressed that rising temperatures pose a systemic risk to public health, economic stability, and ecological resilience.
“Heatwaves are trans-boundary and systemic risks, particularly for densely populated urban areas,” Mishra said as he welcomed the UN body’s efforts to advance a Common Framework for Extreme Heat Risk Governance, describing it as a vital platform for shared learning, guidance, and global collaboration, said a statement here.
While urging global stakeholders to invest in technology exchange, joint research, and accessible knowledge platforms through the Common Framework for Extreme Heat Risk Governance, Mishra called for a global focus on developing a localized heat-humidity index based on real-time data to enhance early warning systems, advancing building technologies and passive cooling innovations that are affordable and culturally appropriate.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has adopted a proactive and integrated strategy to confront extreme heat, he said adding, “India has moved beyond reactive disaster response to forward-looking preparedness and long-term mitigation.”
He cited the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)’s guidelines on heatwave management, first issued in 2016 and revised in 2019, as foundational in enabling localised Heat Action Plans (HAPs), the statement added.
He also applauded the pioneering Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan, which demonstrated how early warnings, institutional coordination, and grassroots outreach can significantly reduce heat-related deaths.
India’s approach, Mishra noted, is a whole-of-government and whole-of-society effort, involving ministries of health, agriculture, labour, urban development, water, power, and education.
“More than 250 cities and districts across 23 heat-prone states have implemented HAPs with the NDMA’s support. These plans have resulted in improved surveillance, hospital readiness, and awareness campaigns, contributing to a marked reduction in heatwave mortality,” he added.
Mishra highlighted the role of public health institutions, civil society, academic partners, and local governments, stressing the value of traditional knowledge and local experience in shaping effective interventions. “Extreme heat deeply impacts communities,” he said, “and India has made schools and health centers central to its strategy of climate resilience.”
UNI AJ PRS