We're doing so little to combat climate change: Sunita Narain

In an interview with India Today, Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment, discussed the heatwaves impacting India and the need for better urban planning. She explained that the current crisis is a combination of climate change and environmental mismanagement. Narain stated, 'The world has now seen searing heat across, and temperature rise, given the fact that we're doing so little to combat climate change, is inevitable.' She highlighted the dangers of modern city construction, noting that building 'Gurgaon-style' glass structures traps heat and increases reliance on air conditioning. Furthermore, she pointed out the trend of night-time temperatures failing to drop, which impacts human health. To mitigate these effects, Narain recommended updating building codes for better insulation and shading, improving city-wide tree cover, and issuing public health advisories. Finally, she emphasised the necessity of officially classifying heatwaves as national disasters to unlock funding for better heat management and disaster response mechanisms across all states.