A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Oxford has identified Ahmedabad as one of the most heat-vulnerable cities globally. According to the composite risk score developed by the research team, Ahmedabad scored 0.79, closely trailing the highest score of 0.83 recorded for Al Basrah in Iraq.
Study Details
The study, titled 'Moving Beyond Exposure: A Globally Comparable Framework for Heat Risk Assessment in Cities,' was authored by Nethmi Jayaratne Kariyawasam, Jesus Lizana, and Radhika Khosla. It has been published as a preprint for the journal 'Sustainable Cities and Society.' The researchers argue that traditional heat assessments rely heavily on exposure-only indicators, which fail to capture the full scope of heat risk.
“However, heat risk in cities extends beyond climatic extremes and is mediated by social vulnerabilities and infrastructural capacities that determine how populations experience and respond to heat,” the study abstract states. The researchers mapped heat risk globally in cities with populations exceeding one million, using a harmonized composite index disaggregated into hazard exposure, vulnerability, and coping capacity.
Other Vulnerable Indian Cities
Several other Indian cities also feature prominently on the list. Bhopal scored 0.75, Patna and Madurai each scored 0.73, Jaipur scored 0.70, Bengaluru scored 0.69, Hyderabad and Lucknow scored 0.68, Kanpur scored 0.67, Pune and Kolkata scored 0.66, Chennai scored 0.64, and Mumbai scored 0.63.
Key Factors
The researchers emphasize that vulnerability and coping capacity are characterized by economic capacity, demographic structure, and infrastructural factors. The results indicate that over 95% of the highest-risk cities are concentrated in South and Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Existing Measures
“In practice, many cities, such as Ahmedabad (India) and Karachi (Pakistan), are already implementing coordinated heat plan measures such as advanced heat warnings, public communication, hydration points and surge capacity in health services,” the study notes. It further adds, “Ahmedabad’s plan combines an early warning system, public awareness campaigns, health-system preparedness and targeted interventions such as cool roofs in low-income neighbourhoods and has been associated with substantial reductions in heat-related mortality.”
Composite Risk Scores for Indian Cities
- Ahmedabad: 0.79
- Bhopal: 0.75
- Patna: 0.73
- Madurai: 0.73
- Jaipur: 0.70
- Bengaluru: 0.69
- Hyderabad: 0.68
- Lucknow: 0.68
- Kanpur: 0.67
- Pune: 0.66
- Kolkata: 0.66
- Chennai: 0.64
- Mumbai: 0.63
Source: Oxford study
