Nepal, June 10 -- As India's urban centres continue to expand in population and infrastructure, they are becoming hotspots for escalating climate change impacts. By 2030, over 40 percent of India's population is projected to be living in urban regions, according to the latest Economic Survey 2023-24.

Among various rising urban challenges, heat stress is one of the pressing issues leading to increased energy consumption, health risks and additional strain on infrastructure. A major contributor to heat stress is the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, which results in urban areas experiencing markedly higher temperatures due to dense construction, impermeable surfaces, lack of green spaces and anthropogenic heat. Anthropogenic heat means heat ...