We’ve seen a spate of suffering in the Indian subcontinent since March 2022 - crop losses, forest fires, deaths, and water supply cuts. Even though the global average temperature has only risen to 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a new study by World Weather Attribution reveals that events like the deadly Indian heatwave have become 30 times more likely by the climate crisis…already impacting millions across the world. Current chances of heatwaves like this are 1% every year, meaning that it would have been ‘extraordinarily rare’ without the climate crisis, according to the researchers.
If temperatures rise to 2 degrees Celsius, heatwaves like this can be as frequent as once in every five years or less in India and Pakistan.

In March this year, India received 71% less rainfall whereas Pakistan received 62% less rain. By May 2022, temperatures soared to 50 degrees celsius. The national capital saw temperatures up to 49.2 degrees celsius, which is high even for Delhi’s extreme weather conditions. The heatwave shriveled the wheat crop and combined with the Ukraine crisis, led India to impose a ban on wheat export for the time being. This raised global food prices by 6% and exacerbated food security concerns in many countries of Asia and Africa.
The central government in India is working with 23 states and 130 heatwave-prone districts to implement the Heat Action Plan, but with formidable challenges. Floods in South Africa and Europe, heatwaves in North America, and storms in southeast Africa have all been exacerbated by global heating. Heatwaves are one of the deadliest and most common events that governments must be prepared for as global temperatures continue to soar.