India's land mass has warmed by only 0.88 degrees Celsius between 1980-90 and 2015-24, compared to 1.4 degrees C for the planet as a whole, according to a new paper released by the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University.
The paper, 'Critical Perspectives On Extreme Heat in India', attributes the anomaly to air pollution and intensive irrigation in northern India, which has suppressed warming in the region.
However, the researchers warn that this cooling trend is not guaranteed to persist, and that India is yet to see the worst of heat extremes caused by the climate crisis.
The paper highlights the need for adaptation planning, particularly in the face of increasing heat stress, which is projected to account for tens of millions of lost jobs globally.
The researchers also discuss the issue of rain getting heavier, with some models predicting an increase of more than 20% by the end of the century in a worst-case climate change scenario.
The paper stresses the need for accurate long-range predictions for farmers and the implementation of passive design strategies to help workers overcome extreme heat episodes.
