South Asia at most risk from extreme heat: World Bank

As extreme heat is increasing in frequency, severity and complexity due to climate change around the world, the region of South Asia is at most risk from the phenomenon, said a recent report by the World Bank.

High-density living, along with low permeation of green and blue spaces, has created heat management challenges for a large number of communities in South Asia and the majority of the urban areas are ill-equipped to deal with extreme heat, said the report, titled, "Urban Heat in South Asia: Integrating People and Place in Adapting to Rising Temperatures" released on Friday (28 April). 

The report also said that the region, home to a quarter of the world's population, was accustomed to extreme heat, but rapid urbanisation and climate change were pushing the region's limits of adaptation with lethal consequences, and described high-density, less green spaces "a challenge". 

According to the report, South Asian cities face unique challenges, competing demands, and resource constraints, unlike anything in developed economies. While explaining the complications of urban heat, the report said the heat has uneven spatial and social distributions, with wide variations in temperatures and adaptive capacities across buildings and cities around the world.

The report said that between 1950-2017, 60% of the world's urban population experienced warming twice as large as the global average, and by 2100, 25% of the world's largest cities could warm by 7 degree Celsius. 

It also pointed out that the knowledge of urban temperatures in South Asia has been largely limited to satellite data or studies that have not accounted for spatial variability. This has limited the awareness and understanding of intra-urban heat differences in South Asian cities.

The report urged policymakers in the region to ensure urban planning and development was adapted to higher temperatures in the face of climate change and the UHI effect.