Sweltering Nights Decoding Urban Heat Stress in Delhi

October 26, 2023

Indian summers are increasingly becoming unbearable due to climate change-induced heatwaves. Many states and cities have published heat action plans to safeguard their populations from dangerous heat exposures. But these well-intentioned plans are blind to the changing nature of heat in our cities. CSE has carried out a detailed analysis of heat stress in Delhi and its impact on human behaviour vis-a-vis electricity consumption to understand how things have changed since 2001. Analysis shows that, apart from daytime peak temperature, increasing humidity and nighttime temperatures are also the driving factors of heat discomfort in the city.