Indian cities face significant temperature rise due to Urban Heat Island effect
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Climate change & international agreements· Prelims + Mains·
Why in news
UNEP reports indicate Indian cities are warming at nearly twice the global average rate due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, necessitating a shift toward climate-responsive urban planning.
Background
The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect occurs when urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas due to human activity and infrastructure. UNEP highlights that rapid urbanization in India is a primary driver of this localized warming trend.
Facts for Prelims
- FactUrban areas are warming at nearly twice the global average rate according to UNEP.
- S&TPassive cooling techniques involve architectural designs that reduce heat gain without relying on mechanical air conditioning.
- EnvironmentNature-based solutions include the integration of green infrastructure and reflective surfaces to mitigate UHI effects.
For Mains
Q. Discuss how the Urban Heat Island effect poses a threat to urban livability in India and suggest architectural and planning interventions to mitigate these thermal risks.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Infrastructure bottleneck: High prevalence of heat-absorbing concrete and asphalt surfaces in unplanned urban expansions.
- Policy-design gap: Lack of mandatory building codes for passive cooling and reflective materials in municipal planning.
- Resource trade-off: High energy demand for mechanical cooling vs. the long-term sustainability of nature-based cooling solutions.
Keywords: Urban Heat Island · Passive Cooling · Nature-based Solutions · Climate-responsive Architecture · Sustainable Urbanization
More Environment & Ecology notes
- 12 bikers fined Rs 1.2 lakh for off-roading in Ladakh's wildlife sanctuary · 14 July 2026
- Bombay High Court Criticizes Far-off Compensatory Afforestation Practice · 14 July 2026
- Two pairs of beavers return to Britain after 400-year absence · 14 July 2026
- The monsoon floods, after hitting Western India’s Maharashtra and Gujarat, have caused · 14 July 2026
- Yogi Adityanath Launches 'Ek Pedh Maa Ke Naam' to Plant 35 crore Saplings · 14 July 2026
- Analysis finds 20 coal plants near Delhi exceed sulfur dioxide limits · 14 July 2026
Something wrong, or something missing?
Spotted a mistake in a note, or want a topic, format or PDF that would help your preparation? Write to us. We read every mail and fix errors fast.
Report a mistake →Ask for something →thesatyadheesh@gmail.com
This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.