India Experienced Its Second Warmest June-August Period Since 1970: Study Reveals

Climate Central’s seasonal analysis for June to August 2024 highlights the impact of human-induced climate change on global temperatures, with a specific focus on India. The study, using temperature anomalies and the Climate Shift Index (CSI), shows that India experienced its second hottest June-August period since satellite tracking began in 1970.

During these months, temperatures were at least three times more likely to spike due to climate change on 29 days. Additionally, around 20.5 million Indians encountered climate change-influenced heat for at least 60 days (CSI 5), revealing India’s heightened vulnerability to extreme heat compared to other Southern Asian countries.

Out of India’s 1.38 billion population, approximately 426 million people—nearly a third—were exposed to potentially extreme temperatures for at least seven days, surpassing 90 percent of local temperature records from the 1991-2020 baseline.

Additionally, over 112 million people experienced dangerous heatwaves lasting more than a month, highlighting serious public health concerns. Several Indian cities were heavily impacted by climate change-driven heatwaves.

Thiruvananthapuram, Vasai-Virar, Kavaratti, Thane, Mumbai, and Port Blair each faced over 70 days of temperatures that were at least three times more likely due to climate change.

Mumbai experienced 54 extreme heat days, while cities like Kanpur and Delhi saw prolonged periods of temperatures exceeding 39°C, with climate change making these extremes four times more probable.

The Climate Shift Index (CSI) quantifies the impact of climate change on daily temperatures. It uses a scale from 1 to 5 to represent how much more likely a day’s temperature is due to human-driven climate change.

For instance, a CSI of 2 means that the temperature on that day is twice as likely to occur in the current climate compared to a world without human-induced changes. This index offers a clear measure of both local and global climate change effects on heat levels.