Climate stress impacting India’s economy and health risks, says report

A new report highlights that climate stress is affecting India’s economy and public health, with heat exposure causing major labour losses and increased health risks. It also shows rising threats to maternal health and vulnerable communities due to climate change impacts

New Delhi: India lost an estimated 160 billion labour hours to heat exposure in 2021, equivalent to 5.4 per cent of its GDP, according to a new report.

It also revealed that heatwaves were linked to an 11.7 per cent increase in cardiovascular-related death risk, a concern in India where heart disease already accounts for around 28 pc to 30 pc of all deaths.

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The report, ‘Under the Weather: India’s Climate-Health Intersections and Pathways to Resilience,’ was released on Wednesday by ClimateRISE Alliance, a collaborative platform that works towards building climate resilience, in collaboration with Dasra, a strategic philanthropic support organisation.

“Rising heat is also emerging as a significant maternal health concern.

Over the last five years, pregnant women in India have experienced an average of six additional days of dangerously high temperatures each year, while heatwaves are associated with a 16 per cent increase in the odds of preterm birth, alongside links to stillbirths and newborn hospitalisation,” said the analysis.

It also highlighted that climate impacts interact with existing inequities and disproportionately affect those who are already vulnerable, including women, children, informal workers, rural communities and those with weaker access to healthcare.

“In this sense, climate stress acts as a multiplier, deepening existing burdens rather than creating entirely separate ones,” added the analysis.

The findings indicate that to tackle climate impacts in India, there is a need to view climate action, public health preparedness and resilience-building together.

An integrated approach can generate co-benefits across systems, improving health outcomes while also strengthening productivity, preparedness and community resilience, according to the report.