The heat is well and truly upon us. We are not referring to that which is being generated once every five years but the one with which we live for more than ten months in a year. As a city which wears the “hot, hotter and hottest” tag on its sleeve, the increasing heat related issues and the risks they pose do not seem to occupy public mind-space and discourse as much as they should. But given the undeniable fact that our planet is constantly undergoing changes (mostly not desirable), and that heat is going to play a major part in shaping the future, it is imperative that there is a proper plan in place to address the challenges. So, what steps have we taken towards building heat resilience?
In November 2025, the Government of Tamil Nadu (through its SPV, the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company) launched a Heat Resilience Centre in partnership with the UK Government to strengthen the State’s capacity to address rising extreme heat risks. The initiative is supported under the UK’s Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme and is implemented with technical partnership from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Resources Institute (WRI). According to its website, the Heat Resilience Centre would function as the nodal agency for coordinating heat-risk management across sectors in Tamil Nadu. Its objectives include building technical capacity across government departments, generating climate data, evidence and policy tools, supporting city and district level heat action plans etc. At the launch, the development of heat maps for cities across the State in order to aid targeted interventions was the first of the action plans proposed. On a related note, the government undertook a study to bridge key knowledge and policy gaps in the State’s response to urban heat by assessing ward level Heat Risk Index and identifying solutions in four cities viz., Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi and Tirunelveli on a sample basis. The findings were presented in a report titled Urban Heat Island Assessment and Strategic Guidelines for Urban Cooling in Tamil Nadu, unveiled at the recent Tamil Nadu Climate Summit 4.0
It is heartening to see that the authorities are finally taking note of the increasing risks of heat-related issues and debating ways to address them. Over the last couple of years, the Greater Chennai Corporation has installed shade nets at major traffic signals to provide commuters with some respite from the heat for the duration of their wait, though with mixed feedback. Last month, the State Government asked the Chennai Corporation and other local bodies to start training volunteers on disaster preparedness for heat waves, with over 11000 volunteers from 500 resident welfare associations across the State, set to be in readiness to respond to situations. It is the first time that such a comprehensive programme has been launched.
While these are undoubtedly laudable initiatives, a dedicated year-long awareness drive to promote simple actions at an individual level (for example, on the need to stay sufficiently hydrated) which can go a long way in addressing heat related issues is essential. While official advisories are put out on precautions to be taken, maybe innovative campaigns (harnessing the power of social media) can also be thought of to drive home the need to be aware of heat-risks. Our State has been a pioneer in climate innovation, being the first to establish a State Green Climate Fund and remarkably, the first to notify heatwaves as a State specific disaster. Building a heat-resilient State is a crucial aspect of development and it is imperative that a proper framework based on scientific data is in place in order to mitigate the risks involved. The time to act is now.