[Answered] What are the factors producing record heat waves in India? What measures can be adopted by India to become resilient to climate change?

A heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western parts of India. Heat Waves typically occur between March and June, and in some rare cases even extend till July. A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius and at least 4.5 notches above normal, according to the IMD.

Reasons behind heat waves in India:

• The persistence of the La Nina pressure pattern into spring has been driving the unprecedented dust storm and heatwaves far south into the western coast of India.
• The associated low-pressure anomaly over the Indian Subcontinent has been inviting westerly winds and the hot air from the Middle East into Pakistan and India.
• Due to the lack of active western disturbances, there is deficits of pre-monsoon rainfall and thunderstorms.

Climate resilience is the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to climate. The following measures can be adopted by India to become resilient to climate change:

• Access to low-cost finance, especially through the Green Climate Fund, should be encouraged.
• New national missions on wind energy and waste-to-energy should be developed.
• To expand electric mobility financial incentives for buses, taxis and two-wheelers should be provided.
• Climate smart agricultural practices like aerobic cultivation, cover-crop method, micro-irrigation, rainwater harvesting should be promoted.
• Community based Micro-climate resilience helps in designing and building flood-resilient, less energy intensive and affordable houses.
• Adaptive technologies and practices including resilient agro-pastoral practices, water management and rehabilitation of ecosystems should be promoted.

The solution to climate change lies in understanding the impact of climate change in our life and taking steps to achieve climate resilience. Additionally, mitigation must be complemented with climate change-related adaptation since mitigation alone cannot address the adverse effects we are facing right now.