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Delhi to host South Asia hub of UN-backed global network on reducing health risks from heat
The hub will work closely with the regional centres of the India Meteorological Department along with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, towards bridging the gap between heat forecast and actionable public response.
Studies have shown that Asia is warming at a rate twice that of the rest of the continents, and the risk of heat-related deaths is comparatively higher.
Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) will host a new South Asia Hub of the Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN), a UN-backed data forum aimed at protecting communities from heat-related health risks.
Launched in 2016, the GHHIN is spearheaded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and is meant as a collaborative platform that brings together climate scientists and medical professionals, along with other stakeholders, to reduce health risks from excessive risks.
The South Asia Hub will work in tandem with the existing South Asia Climate and Health Desk at the India Meteorological Department and the Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology to ensure that heat-related early warnings and heat science are used to generate impactful solutions for communities. The hub will bring together the regional-level players, ensuring smooth exchange of knowledge and good practices, and inform about policy, all of which is aimed at reducing heat-related risks, both to life and property.
India suffers from heatwaves during the summer and has been experiencing multi-sectoral heat-related stress, making communities and resources more vulnerable. Studies have shown that Asia is warming at a rate double that of the rest of the continents, and the risk of heat-related deaths is also comparatively higher.
Some of the warmest years India experiences were in the 21st century, with the warmest years being 2024, 2016, 2009, 2010, and 2017. Last year, India recorded the 8th warmest year with the mean land surface-air temperature remaining 0.28 degrees Celsius above the 1991 – 2020 long-term average.
The Heat Hub will work with regional and national partners to deliver tangible benefits for families, workers, schools, hospitals, and city administration officials starting this summer by providing temperature and heat-related alerts, suggesting safer working windows, issuing timely cooling actions, and working towards strengthening policy advice for health services.
The hub will work closely with the regional centres of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) along with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, towards bridging the gap between heat forecast and actionable public response.
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The Heat Hub is a partnership between CEEW, the Sustainable Futures Collaborative, Natural Resources Defense Council, and BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health. Over the next few years, the Hub aims to join hands with over 60 institutions, train over 500 professionals, and strengthen heat action plans across India and South Asia.
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