A new study by the University of Oxford has identified India as the country with the highest number of cities vulnerable to extreme heat risks. Out of 205 cities assessed worldwide, 14 Indian cities feature among the top 50 most heat-vulnerable urban centres.
The findings come amid rising temperatures across the globe and recurring heatwave conditions linked to El Niño.
Three major cities from Maharashtra made it to the global top 50 list:
Notably, Nagpur emerged as India's second most heat-vulnerable city, behind Ahmedabad.
The study highlighted several Indian cities facing significant heat challenges:
Highest Ranked Indian Cities:
Other Indian Cities in the Top 50
Together, these cities underline India's growing vulnerability to extreme heat events.
The study identified Al Basrah, Iraq, as the city facing the highest heat risk in the world.
Other countries with multiple high-risk cities include:
The report notes that several globally important tourist and business destinations are increasingly vulnerable to heat stress.
These cities may face challenges related to tourism, public health, and urban liveability as temperatures continue to rise.
Heat risk vulnerability measures how susceptible a population is to the harmful effects of extreme heat, including:
The study, titled "Moving Beyond Exposure: A Globally Comparable Framework for Heat Risk Assessment in Cities," was published in the journal Sustainable Cities and Societies.
The assessment goes beyond temperature levels and examines how well cities can cope with heat-related challenges.
Cities with poor coping capacity and higher vulnerable populations scored higher on the risk scale.
In Maharashtra, cities such as Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune have already experienced heatwave conditions and weather alerts linked to these climatic changes.
Share
Tweet
