The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Bhubaneshwar): A study by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar has found that urbanization has led to a significant increase in night-time temperatures in over 140 prominent Indian cities, with these areas experiencing nearly 60% more warming compared to their non-urban surroundings.
The study, published in the journal Nature Cities, surveyed cities across India and found that the urban heat island (UHI) effect, caused by the heat-retaining properties of concrete and asphalt, contributes to this significant rise in night-time temperatures. Cities like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Rajkot exhibited the highest UHI effect, followed by Delhi NCR and Pune.
The researchers analyzed data from 2003 to 2020 to determine the contributions of urbanization and local climate change to the rising night-time temperatures. The study revealed that the mean urban effect for all cities across India was 0.2 degrees Celsius per decade, accounting for 37.73% of total urban warming, and nearly a 60% enhancement of warming relative to non-urban areas.
The study also highlighted that cities in north-western, north-eastern, and southern regions showed a more pronounced increase in night-time temperatures. Conversely, urbanization’s contribution to night-time warming was higher in eastern and central Indian cities, which are rapidly developing.
Most cities included in the study showed rising night-time surface temperatures, with an average increase of 0.53 degrees Celsius per decade. In contrast, the overall warming across India averaged 0.26 degrees Celsius per decade, indicating that urban areas are warming at nearly double the rate of the rest of the country.
The authors emphasized the heightened vulnerability of urban areas to the combined effects of urbanization and climate change. The infrastructure and populations in these areas are on the frontlines of climate change impacts, such as heatwaves, extreme weather events, and flooding.
The study underscores the need for diverse mitigation efforts to effectively address ongoing urban warming. According to an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi, cities are not cooling down at night as they did between 2001 and 2010 due to increased concretization over the past two decades, leading to higher heat stress.
The World Resources Institute (WRI) India Ross Center predicts that seven out of ten people worldwide will be living in urban areas by 2050, with significant growth expected in India. Currently, 36% of India’s population, about 40 crore people, is urban, a figure projected to double by 2050.