My life at 50C: India’s new reality of extreme heat

Standing outside felt like being in a furnace. Air conditioners stopped working, tap water was scalding hot, and the physical capacity for any slightly laborious task plummeted. Burns from hot surfaces were a real threat, and even a short walk left me feeling utterly drained.

This summer in Delhi – where temperatures have hovered around the 50-degree mark (122F) throughout May and June – has been surreal, exhausting, and unlike any other I have experienced.

The air conditioner, once a luxury, became a necessity, a lifeline. But despite running non-stop, the cool air struggled to make a dent against the sweltering temperatures.

There was no respite at night either, when sleeping was a struggle as power cuts became more frequent and the stifling heat persisted. Even in the early morning and the late evening, the mercury would regularly top 40C, all but closing the window of opportunity to grab just a few moments outdoors in a temperature that resembled something humane.

The heat also brought a sense of isolation. My elderly mother, unable to cope with the extreme temperatures, stayed indoors, and our usual evening walks were put on hold. The psychological and emotional toll of relentless heat was immense, wearing everyone down. The rise in temperatures brings with it a rise in tempers; the smallest grievances are amplified and there’s a pervasive sense of fatigue and frustration.

For millions in India, there is no escape from it. Shopkeepers, food vendors, drivers, delivery workers and many others have no option but to continue to toil in 50C temperatures.

At least 110 people died from heatstroke across the country, according to government data, although the actual number is likely to be far higher. Local media reported hundreds of deaths across north and central India during the heatwave, including at least two dozen polling staff on the final day of the general election. Thousands of cases of heatstroke were reported, overwhelming hospitals and clinics.

As The Independent’s Asia climate correspondent, I’ve been able to place my personal experiences of extreme heat in the broader context of the urgent, global climate crisis. And it’s why I am so passionate about our first ever Climate 100 List, which honours leading lights from all corners of the world and across sectors – science, academia, activism, philanthropy, sport, travel, business, tech, fashion and entertainment – who are on the frontline of the climate crisis.

Hot summers are typical in India but this year the country saw its longest-ever heatwave, with 24 consecutive days above 40C in May. India is a humid country, so high temperatures combined with moisture in the air mean it also feels much hotter than the thermometer indicates.

India isn’t alone in this new, scorching reality. The world is burning.

2023 was the hottest year in human history, with nearly half the days breaching the 1.5C (2.7F) temperature limit set by world leaders to stave off the worst of dangerous heat, and its ensuing impacts on weather systems, nature, our health and ways of life. Scientists now fear that 2024 could be even hotter.

Already this year more than 1,300 Muslim pilgrims died during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia in June, where temperatures reached 51C.

The Horn of Africa, which is experiencing a hunger emergency and drought that threatens millions of people with starvation, risks being “uninhabitable” because of heat, the president of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, warned in April.

An estimated 50.1 million people experiencing food insecurity in the region. Around 2.5 million people in Sudan could die from hunger by September 2024, a new report the Clingendael Institute, a Dutch think tank, warned last month.

In Europe and North America, extreme heat alerts and severe weather warnings have become commonplace, while emissions from wildfires in 2023 increased by 30 per cent compared with the previous year following dozens of devastating blazes.

And it’s not just the heat. Hot air holds more moisture, so the unprecedented temperatures in India were immediately followed by record-breaking rainfall. This led to deaths, accidents, train delays, school closures and damage to infrastructure in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai. In vulnerable Himalayan regions, flooding and landslides killed dozens.

Fortunately, communities and leaders everywhere are waking up to the global transformation required to stave off disaster.

The world is rapidly transitioning towards cheap wind and solar power with a record 30 per cent of electricity produced by renewables in 2023.

India is making significant strides in electrification and renewable energy. Solar and wind farms are sprouting across the country, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting carbon emissions. As of June 2024, India has installed solar energy capacity was 85.47GW, a 30-fold increase over the past nine years. Now inevitable, brutally hot summers have also opened up paths for small-scale solutions like cooling paints and solar-powered fans.

Climate change and environmental concerns have been at the core of The Independent’s reporting since our founding in 1986, reflecting the passion and activism of our readers.

Three out of four Independent readers in the UK and US consider themselves environmentally friendly and have acted to make their homes more energy efficient, shop local, and adapt how they travel and eat. With that in mind, we want your help in nominating the five final places in the Climate 100 List, which you can do by completing the form here.

The Independent will be revealing its Climate100 List in September and hosting an event in New York, which can be attended online, to reserve your place click here.

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