Almost one-third of the heatwave days India experienced in 2024 were driven by climate change, according to a new report by the medical journal The Lancet.
The report found that India recorded an average of 19.8 heatwave days last year, of which 6.6 days would not have occurred without human-induced climate change.
It also estimated that heat exposure in 2024 resulted in the loss of 247 billion potential labor hours, mostly in the agriculture and construction sectors, amounting to an economic loss of about $194 billion (£151 billion).
While heatwaves are not new to India, their frequency and intensity have been rising steadily over the past few decades because of global warming.
Prolonged exposure to extreme heat has serious repercussions on health. It can overwhelm the body's ability to regulate temperature, increasing the risk of dehydration, heatstroke, cardiovascular stress, and even death - particularly among the elderly, infants, and outdoor workers.
The 2025 Lancet Countdown report - which tracks the health impact of climate change - warns that the health risks posed by rising global temperatures are now more severe than ever.
The report notes that 152 record-breaking extreme weather events were registered globally in a single year, indicating a concerning trend of increasing heat intensity.
According to the report, heat-related mortality has increased by 23% worldwide since the 1990s, with approximately 546,000 deaths occurring annually.
The report also indicated that the average person worldwide faced 16 days of extreme heat last year primarily due to climate change.
In India, air quality has also deteriorated, with 1.7 million deaths attributed to atmospheric pollution in 2022. This trend is exacerbated by the country's reliance on biofuels, which disproportionately affect rural women and children.
As nations prepare for the upcoming COP30 summit in Brazil, this alarming report serves as a clarion call for action against climate change and its debilitating effects on health and economic stability.
