Is India ready to face a cold wave in a warming climate?

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An analysis by the researchers from IPE-Global using Indian Meteorological Department’s baseline data points suggests that there has been a 1.6-fold increase in cold wave days in India in the last decade, although the long-term average is contrasting.

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These crises turn into disasters when the chronic enfeeblement of communities and state capacity becomes recurrent. How can communities and states be ready and resilient?

First, the climate risk assessments for geographies, sectors, and assets must be recurrent, scientifically validated, and hyper-local. Enacting when a climate extreme event hits are advoc and un-strategic; it cant avert the loss and damage to lives, livelihoods, and assets.

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Second, cold-wave readiness calls for providing affordable access to energy-efficient domestic heating appliances.

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Third, India must climate-proof its urban habitation infrastructures to ensure climate responsiveness and cold-wave readiness. Currently, the building and standard codes do not account for climate readiness, let alone cold waves.

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