The Tamil Nadu government and the UK have teamed up to launch a Heat Resilience Centre. This makes Tamil Nadu one of the first states in India to create a specific body focused on managing heat risks.
This initiative began with a Letter of Intent signed by the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company and the UK Government. It falls under the UK’s Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) program, which will continue until September 2026.
The centre will act as the main hub for coordinating heat-risk management across various departments. Its goals include building effective governance frameworks, enhancing technical knowledge, collecting climate data, creating heat action plans, and developing projects that promote climate resilience.
“Extreme heat is one of the biggest climate challenges we face today,” said Seema Malhotra, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Indo-Pacific). She commended Tamil Nadu for recognizing heatwaves as a disaster specific to the region.
Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, emphasized the importance of precise heat mapping for effective climate planning.
Additionally, Tamil Nadu is participating in the global Beat the Heat Initiative, which was launched at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Off the 15 Indian cities involved, 11 are from Tamil Nadu. This initiative is geared toward advancing sustainable cooling strategies and enhancing heat resilience globally.
### Insights and Context
The move comes at a critical time. A recent study from the World Health Organization highlights that extreme heat events have significantly increased over the last few decades, causing health risks, especially for vulnerable populations. In India, the number of heatwaves has risen sharply, making the need for such initiatives more pressing than ever.
Experts believe that local actions like those in Tamil Nadu will be essential in combating climate challenges. “Regional responses can set examples for larger changes,” says Dr. Pooja Reddy, a climate scientist. “Adaptation measures need to be as localized as possible to be effective.”
Overall, these initiatives reflect a broader global trend toward proactive climate action. The collaboration illustrates how state and national governments can work together to tackle urgent issues like extreme heat, benefiting communities today and in the future.
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