Lok Sabha Question No. 5983 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-01
Subject: Rise in Temperature
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Shri Kalyan Banerjee

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5983 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 1 ST  APRIL, 2026

## RISE IN TEMPERATURE

## 5983.   SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that while  23 per cent of world's population lived with extreme heat in 2010-2020 and this figure is set to grow to 41 per cent over the next three decades by 2050 and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to take any concrete and effective steps to check and control the rise in temperature in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details  of steps taken by the Government to achieve the global goal of net zero carbon emission by 2050; and
- (d) whether any study or  research has  been  conducted regarding  the impact  of  climate change  and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) Yes.  As  per  the  study  conducted  by  the  University  of  Oxford  and  published  in  the journal Nature Sustainability, it is reported that about 23% of the world's population was exposed to extreme heat conditions around 2010. This proportion is projected to increase  significantly  to  about  41%  by  2050  under  a  scenario  of  rising  global temperatures.  The  study  further  indicates  that  nearly  3.79  billion  people  could  be affected by extreme heat by mid-century, particularly in regions such as South Asia, Africa, and parts of Southeast Asia. The increase is attributed to global warming driven by continued greenhouse gas emissions, with impacts expected to intensify as global temperatures approach or exceed 1.5°C to 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
- (b) IMD contributes to climate adaptation activities such as heat action plans by providing early  warnings  of  extreme  weather  events,  including  heatwaves,  and  disseminating timely forecasts and advisories to minimize adverse impacts. The effective steps for climate adaptation for the rise in temperature in the country taken by the Government are as follows:
-  Heat  Action  Plans  (HAPs):  The  National  Disaster  Management  Authority (NDMA) is collaborating with 23 states to implement HAPs, which include early warning systems, awareness campaigns, public health responses, and setting up cooling centers.
-  The India Meteorological Department (IMD), under the Ministry, issues special heat  wave  warning  bulletins  and  impact  based  heatwave  forecasts,  providing details  of  guidelines  or  advisories  for  adopting  heat-resilient  urban  planning measures  such as cool roofs, urban forests, water bodies and reflective infrastructure at meteorological sub-division and district levels to various users, including  the  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs,  NDMA,  State  Disaster  Management Authorities,  Deputy  Commissioners/District  Magistrates,  health  departments, Indian Railways, road transport, and the media.
-  Since 2023, IMD has also commenced issuing seasonal and monthly heatwave Outlooks to enable proactive measures in reducing heatwave-related risks across various parts of the country.
-  Further, IMD communicates all forecasts, including heat wave information, to the end user through offline and online media. Additionally, dedicated State websites provide district-specific heatwave information, and sector-specific bulletins are also available for the health and agriculture sectors.
- (c) The Government has taken several steps towards achieving the goal of net zero carbon emissions. These include large-scale expansion of renewable energy, development of green energy corridors, promotion of cleaner manufacturing and energy efficiency, and deployment of battery storage systems. The Indian Government remains steadfast in its commitment to combat climate change through various programs and initiatives, such as the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and the State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC). These plans encompass specific missions in areas like solar energy, energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable agriculture, health, Himalayan ecosystem preservation, sustainable habitat development, Green India, and strategic  knowledge  for  climate  change.  The  NAPCC  serves  as  a  comprehensive framework for all climate-related actions. Additionally, India has taken a proactive role in  fostering  international  collaborations  through  initiatives  such  as  the  International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure.
- (d) The Ministry carries out continuous monitoring and analysis of weather and climate across the country. Information on extreme temperatures, heatwaves, and cold waves at  regional  and  district  levels  is  documented  through  Monthly  Climate  Summaries (https://imdpune.gov.in/cmpg/Product/mcs.php), Annual Climate Summaries (https://imdpune.gov.in/cmpg/Product/acs.php).

In addition, IMD also publishes a monthly and seasonal Climate Diagnostic Bulletin of India (CDBI) (https://imdpune.gov.in/cmpg/Product/Cdbulletin.html), which includes information on temperature and rainfall anomalies, extreme weather events, and largescale climate drivers such as ENSO and IOD, providing a diagnostic assessment of the prevailing climate conditions over the country. IMD has also prepared climatological analyses on heat wave and cold wave characteristics over India (https://imdpune.gov.in/Reports/Met\_Monograph\_Cold\_Heat\_Waves.pdf).

IMD has also assessed the changing rainfall pattern in the country and its extremes in the recent  30 years in different states  and  districts.  Reports  over  different  states  on "Observed Rainfall Variability and Changes" is available on the IMD Pune website (https://imdpune.gov.in/Reports/rainfall%20variability%20page/raintrendnew.html).

The  Intergovernmental  Panel  on  Climate  Change  (IPCC)  prepares  comprehensive Assessment Reports about knowledge on climate change, its causes, potential impacts, and  response  options  based  on  the  published  studies.  The  IPCC  Sixth  Assessment Report (2021-2023) consisted of:

-  WG I (Aug 2021): The Physical Science Basis
-  WG II (Feb 2022): Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability
-  WG III (Apr 2022): Mitigation of Climate Change
-  Synthesis  Report  (Mar  2023):  Summarizing  the  comprehensive  findings, which can be accessed at  https://www.ipcc.ch/reports/

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