Extreme Heatwave in India | Why 2024 is the Hottest Year? | Dhruv Rathee

Summary

The video script discusses the alarming increase in global temperatures, highlighting record-breaking heatwaves in recent years. It attributes these phenomena to global warming, climate change, and natural cycles like El Niño. The script further explains the impact of El Niño on weather patterns, introduces the Urban Heat Island Effect, and suggests solutions such as greener cities, radiant cooling, and natural ventilation to combat rising temperatures.

Takeaways

• 🌡️ Record-breaking temperatures have been observed globally, with 2024 seeing the hottest months in recorded history.
• 🔥 The summer of 2023 was identified as the hottest in the last 2,000 years in the northern hemisphere due to extreme heat.
• 🌍 Global warming and climate change are cited as primary reasons for the extreme heat, but not the sole contributors.
• 🌊 El Niño, a natural climate cycle, has been intensifying due to climate change, causing severe weather events like floods and droughts.
• 🌞 The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the second most significant factor influencing Earth's climate after the Earth-Sun relationship.
• 🌧️ El Niño leads to hotter and drier conditions in Australia and Southeast Asia, while increasing rainfall in South America.
• 🔴 The opposite phenomenon, La Niña, causes increased rainfall in Australia and drier conditions in South America.
• ☀️ The Urban Heat Island Effect contributes to higher temperatures in city areas due to the absorption of sunlight by concrete and asphalt.
• 🌳 Solutions to mitigate heat waves include increasing green spaces, improving building ventilation, and using radiant cooling technologies.
• 🌡️ The Heat Index is a crucial metric that combines temperature and humidity to indicate how hot it feels, which can be higher than the actual temperature.
• 🌍 Future projections suggest that heat waves will become more frequent and longer-lasting, impacting the livability of cities and regions.

Q & A

What was the significance of the summer season in 2022 according to the article mentioned in the script?

The summer season in 2022 was significant because it was referred to as the hottest summer ever, breaking a 122-year-old record in India.

How did the summer of 2023 compare to the previous years in terms of temperature?

The summer of 2023 was even more extreme, with scientists stating that it was the hottest summer in the last 2,000 years in the northern hemisphere of Earth.

What unusual records were set in the first four months of 2024 according to the script?

The first four months of 2024 each set records for being the hottest ever recorded for their respective months: January, February, March, and April.

Why were there forest fires in Uttarakhand and other states in India during the first week of May?

The forest fires were a result of the extreme heat and heat wave conditions that were being experienced in those regions.

What is the primary cause behind the extreme weather events discussed in the script?

Global warming and climate change are the primary causes behind the extreme weather events, but the script also mentions El Niño as a significant contributing factor.

What is El Niño and how does it affect the world's climate?

El Niño is a natural climate cycle that occurs every 5-7 years, characterized by a warming of the Pacific Ocean. It affects the world's climate by causing more extreme weather patterns, such as droughts, floods, and heat waves.

What is the opposite phenomenon of El Niño called, and what are its effects?

The opposite phenomenon of El Niño is called La Niña. It is characterized by stronger trade winds and colder water moving towards South America, leading to increased rainfall in Australia and drier conditions in South America.

How does the Urban Heat Island Effect contribute to higher temperatures in cities?

The Urban Heat Island Effect occurs when urban areas with concrete, asphalt, and tall buildings absorb and retain heat, leading to higher temperatures than in areas with more greenery and natural ventilation.

What are some of the solutions proposed in the script to mitigate the effects of heat waves and the Urban Heat Island Effect?

The script suggests solutions such as planting more trees, promoting public transport, using natural cooling methods like ventilation and radiant cooling, painting roofs white to reflect sunlight, and reducing the use of air conditioners.

What is the Heat Index and why is it important in assessing the impact of heat waves?

The Heat Index is a metric that combines both temperature and humidity to indicate how hot the weather feels. It is important because it provides a more accurate representation of the heat's impact on the human body compared to temperature alone.

How does the script describe the potential future of heat waves based on the 'Future Projections for the Tropical Indian Ocean' study?

According to the study mentioned in the script, by 2050, many areas may experience heat waves lasting for 220 to 250 days a year, indicating a significant increase in the frequency and duration of such extreme weather events.

Outlines

00:00

🌡️ Record-Breaking Heatwaves and Global Warming

The script begins by reminiscing about the extremely hot summer of 2022 in India, which shattered a 122-year-old record. It then contrasts this with the summer of 2023, which was even hotter, being described as the hottest in 2,000 years for the northern hemisphere. The narrative moves to 2024, detailing record-breaking temperatures for each month leading up to April. The script discusses the widespread impact of these heatwaves, from forest fires in India to unusual heat in regions like Kerala. It suggests that while global warming and climate change are significant contributors, there are other factors at play, setting the stage for an exploration of these additional causes and potential local solutions.

05:00

🌍 El Niño's Global Impact and Phenomenon Explanation

This paragraph delves into the phenomenon of El Niño, a natural climate cycle that occurs every 5-7 years and has been intensifying due to climate change. It is identified as the second most significant cause of climate change after the Earth's revolution around the Sun. The script explains how El Niño affects weather patterns worldwide, causing droughts in regions like South Africa and floods in Brazil. It also discusses the opposite effects of La Niña, El Niño's counterpart, which results in increased rainfall in Australia and drier conditions in South America. The paragraph includes a historical overview of El Niño and La Niña events over the past 30 years and their increasing severity.

10:03

🌡️ Understanding Humidity and the Heat Index

The script introduces the concept of relative humidity and explains its impact on the body's ability to cool itself through sweating. It emphasizes the importance of considering both temperature and humidity when assessing heat conditions, leading to an explanation of the Heat Index. The Heat Index is a metric that combines temperature and humidity to indicate how hot it feels outside. The paragraph provides examples of how different combinations of temperature and humidity can result in dangerously high Heat Index values, highlighting the severe risks associated with high heat and humidity, particularly in regions experiencing heatwaves.

15:04

🌳 Combating Urban Heat Islands and Promoting Green Solutions

The final paragraph discusses the Urban Heat Island Effect, where urban areas become significantly hotter than surrounding rural areas due to the prevalence of heat-absorbing materials like concrete and asphalt. The script suggests that this effect can be mitigated through green solutions such as increasing urban greenery and promoting natural ventilation in建筑设计. It also touches on the role of air conditioning in exacerbating the heat island effect and presents alternatives like radiant cooling and reflective roofing. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for governments to prioritize greener cities to minimize the impact of heatwaves, referencing a study that predicts an increase in the frequency and duration of heatwaves in the future.

Keywords

💡Global Warming

Global warming refers to the long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature due primarily to human activities such as the emission of greenhouse gases. In the video, global warming is identified as a major reason behind the record-breaking heatwaves and climate anomalies, illustrating the connection between human actions and environmental consequences.

💡Climate Change

Climate change encompasses both the long-term alterations in the average weather patterns and the increase in Earth's average temperature. The video script discusses climate change as a contributing factor to extreme weather events, such as the hottest summers and unprecedented heat indices, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this global issue.

💡El Niño

El Niño is a natural climate pattern characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which affects weather conditions worldwide. The script explains how El Niño has been intensifying due to climate change, leading to more extreme weather events like droughts and floods, and its impact on different regions, including Australia and South America.

💡La Niña

La Niña is the opposite phase of El Niño, featuring cooler-than-average ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. The video describes La Niña as having the potential to cause increased rainfall in Australia and drought in South America, highlighting the balance of these climate phenomena and their global effects.

💡Heat Index

The Heat Index is a measure of how hot it feels to the human body when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature. The script uses the Heat Index to illustrate the severity of heatwaves, such as the one in the Philippines where it exceeded 53°C, demonstrating the importance of considering both temperature and humidity in assessing heat risks.

💡Urban Heat Island Effect

The Urban Heat Island Effect describes how urban areas become significantly warmer than their rural surroundings due to human activities and the concentration of infrastructure. The video script discusses this effect in the context of cities like Delhi, where areas with more concrete and asphalt are several degrees warmer, emphasizing the need for urban planning that mitigates this phenomenon.

💡Humidity

Humidity refers to the amount of water vapor present in the air. The script explains that high humidity can exacerbate the effects of high temperatures by making it more difficult for sweat to evaporate, which is a critical mechanism for the body to cool down, thereby increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses.

💡Deforestation

Deforestation is the process of clearing forests, often for the purpose of urban development or agriculture. The video script mentions deforestation in the context of constructing highways through national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, highlighting the environmental impact and the loss of green cover that contributes to climate change.

💡Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is a development approach that aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The script critiques the notion of development that involves excessive urbanization and deforestation, advocating for a more sustainable approach that includes green spaces and reduced reliance on cars.

💡Radiant Cooling

Radiant Cooling is a technology that uses water-filled pipes in building walls to cool indoor spaces without the need for air conditioning. The video script presents Radiant Cooling as an alternative to traditional AC systems, pointing out its potential for energy savings and reduced environmental impact, aligning with the theme of seeking sustainable solutions to climate challenges.

💡Heat Wave

A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which can be dangerous to human health and the environment. The script discusses multiple record-breaking heat waves, including the hottest months ever recorded in 2024, to underscore the increasing frequency and intensity of such events, which are linked to global warming and climate change.

Highlights

The summer of 2022 in India broke a 122-year-old heat record.

Summer of 2023 was the hottest in the last 2,000 years in the northern hemisphere.

2024 has recorded the hottest January, February, March, and April ever.

South India and Southeast Asia experienced record-breaking heat waves.

The Philippines saw a heat index exceeding 53°C.

Forest fires occurred in Uttarakhand and several Indian states during May.

Heat wave warnings were issued across India, including in Kerala.

Global warming and climate change are major contributors to the extreme heat.

El Niño is a significant natural cause of climate change, occurring every 5-7 years.

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) impacts global weather patterns.

Trade Winds and upwelling in the Pacific Ocean influence El Niño and La Niña phenomena.

El Niño causes hotter and drier conditions in Australia and Southeast Asia.

La Niña is the opposite phenomenon of El Niño, causing increased rainfall in Australia.

The Urban Heat Island Effect makes cities significantly hotter than surrounding areas.

Green spaces and reduced concrete can mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect.

Radiant Cooling is an alternative to air conditioning that can save money and reduce heat.

Future projections indicate nearly year-round marine heat waves in the Indian Ocean by 2050.

Transcripts

Hello, friends!

Do you remember the summer season 2 years ago?

Year 2022.

Look at this article,

it was called the Hottest Summer Ever.

That year, it was so hot in India

that it broke the 122 year old record.

But then came the Summer of 2023.

In 2023, the summer season was so scorching hot

that scientists said that it was the hottest summer in the last 2,000 years

in the northern hemisphere of Earth.

But then we come to the year 2024.

January 2024:

Hottest January Ever Recorded.

February 2024: Hottest February Ever Recorded.

March 2024: Hottest March Ever Recorded.

April 2024: Hottest Month Ever Recorded.

The last 11 months on Earth,

have been record breaking in terms of heat.

The scorching heat that you have to bear today

is not normal.

And you are not alone.

Last month, in South India and in the entire Southeast Asia,

record-breaking heat waves have been seen.

Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia

everywhere, there was such unbearable temperatures.

In the Philippines, the heat index had crossed 53°C.

In Uttarakhand, there were forest fires.

In the first week of May,

forest fires were seen in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.

Heat wave warnings are being issued all over the country,

even in places like Kerala, where there aren't heat waves usually.

And now temperatures have been soaring above 46°C in North India.

Global warming and climate change are the main reasons behind all this.

But are they the only reasons?

No.

In this video, come let's understand the two other reasons

that are causing this

and what is the solution at the local level.

What can we do to avoid this heat?

First, we need to understand

that such extreme weather events

are not only seen in India or Southeast Asia,

but also in every corner of the world.

What happened in South America this month?

Watch this news.

"At least 83 people are de@d

after days of heavy rain in Southern Brazil

and more than hundred are missing.

Another 123,000 people

that have been displaced by floods."

There were devastating floods in Brazil

in which more than 150,000 people were displaced.

Entire cities was submerged.

What is happening in South Africa?

We are witnessing a terrible drought.

"The Southern African region is experiencing

a severe drought with many families unable

to cater for their daily needs like food."

"I just spoke with some of the elders from the community

and the last time they can remember this type of drought

is 1947.

So this is not a normal circumstance."

A drought unparalleled in the past several decades.

That's why many southern African countries

have requested $5.5 billion from the rest of the world.

To prevent a situation of starvation.

There is one weather event behind all this destruction

which is considered the biggest cause.

El Niño.

It is a natural cycle of the Earth's climate

that is seen every 5-7 years.

But due to climate change,

it is becoming more extreme year after year.

The full name of this cycle is El Nino Southern Oscillation.

In short, it is called ENSO.

According to the World Health Organization,

this is the second biggest cause

that changes the climate of the Earth.

And on the first place

is the relationship between the Earth and the Sun,

Earth's revolution around the Sun,

which causes the seasons to change.

Winter following summer and summer following winter.

But after that effect,

El Niño has the second biggest impact.

What is El Niño?

It's something that can be seen in the Pacific Ocean.

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest and deepest ocean,

lying is between Asia and the Americas.

Imagine, this ocean is like a tub, a bathtub,

water keeps moving from one side to another.

When you move your hand in the tub,

the water sloshes from one side to another

and then gets back to the first point.

Similarly, winds blow over the Pacific Ocean

flowing from east to west.

These winds are called Trade Winds

and most of the time,

they move from the Americas to the direction of Asia and Australia.

Because it's based on Earth's rotation.

You must have read about the Coriolis effect in school.

Since Earth rotates from West to East,

due to this Coriolis effect,

the Trade Winds flow in the opposite direction.

Due to this, normally,

the water on the surface of Pacific Ocean

starts flowing towards West.

It means it starts flowing towards Australia.

And when the water on the surface starts flowing in that direction,

in the east,

the water below the surface level of the sea

starts rising to the surface.

That is, near South America,

the water from the depths of the sea rises towards the surface.

This is called Upwelling.

The water that rises from the depths of the ocean,

is much colder comparatively,

and has more nutrients.

Because of this, fish and marine life also benefit.

So in this normal situation,

the hot water goes to Australia,

and the cold water came to South America.

When water is hot,

it evaporates more easily.

And because of that evaporation, clouds are formed

and more rain is seen near Australia.

But now friends, imagine that

these trade winds have weakened.

These winds are not flowing as strongly over the Pacific Ocean.

What will happen?

The upwelling will be weak,

it will be almost non-existent.

The hot water on the surface will consistently remain hot.

The clouds that were supposed to bring rain to Australia

can rain anywhere over the Pacific Ocean.

So the Australia region will become very dry.

This is the phenomenon of El Niño

which is like a regular cycle.

But this is not a regular cycle.

Sometimes it happens every 4 years,

sometimes after 5 years,

sometimes after 7 years.

But when El Niño happens,

it lasts for 6 to 12 months.

But during the El Niño,

the weather patterns of the world change.

In Australia and Southeast Asia,

it causes higher temperatures and drier weather conditions.

The risk of heat waves increases.

And the wildfires that took place in Australia,

you might remember the violent Australian wildfires of 2020,

even that was caused by this El Niño.

The last El Niño event was in 2018-19

Which lasted till January 2020.

This is why the bushfires in Australia happened in December 2019.

Since then, today,

from January 2023 till now,

another El Niño is in effect.

The interesting thing here is that

in South America, El Niño has the opposite effect as it has in Asia and Australia.

That is, it rains more there.

The risk of floods increases.

This is why today we see many devastating floods in Brazil.

Now, apart from this, there is an opposite phenomenon of El Niño

which is La Niña.

Both these words are from Spanish.

El Niño means the boy

and La Niña means the girl.

The normal conditions of the Pacific Ocean, as I told you,

normally, if they go to extremes,

then the La Niña effect is seen.

What does this mean?

The Trade Winds blowing towards the west

start moving strongly in that direction.

Because of this, colder water flows to South America

and hotter water flows towards Australia

and it starts raining more in Australia due to La Niña.

La Niña's events usually last longer.

They can last for 1-4 years.

After the El Niño of 2018-19,

when La Niña came in 2020-21,

it became so extreme that it caused flooding in Australia.

It rained so heavily in Australia.

You can see the news from March 2021,

Floods in Australia.

You can see this interesting chart on the screen.

This graph depicts the El Niño and La Niña

events that took place over the last 30 years.

The red peaks are the El Niño events

and the higher it is, the stronger the El Niño event was.

The strongest El Niño event till date

was seen in 2015-16.

After that, was the 1997-98 event

followed by the current 2023-24 event.

On the other hand, the blue trenches are the La Niña events.

The latest was in 2020-21

which went on all the way up to January 2023.

Before this, the strongest La Niña was in 1999-2000.

If you zoom in on the latest time, you will see that

the graph of El Niño is going down again.

Scientists believe that La Niña can start by July-August.

How will this impact India?

India's monsoon can be better than average this year.

Last year, in the rainy season of 2023, there wasn't a lot of rain

because of El Niño.

El Niño is a big reason why the summers of 2023 and 2024 were very hot.

Because of which, droughts were seen in Southern African countries.

Even the heavy rains and floods in Dubai

were caused by it to some extent.

Scientists believe that climate change caused by humans

is making the El Niño effect more extreme.

That is, floods caused by El Niño are becoming more dangerous.

Heat waves are becoming more and more violent.

This is why in Kerala,

a heat wave warning has been issued only twice.

The first time was in 2016

and the second time was in 2024.

Both times, during an El Niño event.

The Indian Meteorological Department has a basic criteria

to declare a heat wave.

They say that if the temperature in the plains is above 40°C,

above 37°C in the coastal areas,

and above 30°C in the mountains,

apart from this, if for two consecutive days, the temperature

is 4.5°C above normal,

then a Heat Wave will be declared.

And if it is 6.4°C above normal for two consecutive days

then a Severe Heat Wave will be declared.

But if the temperature crosses 45°C

then without checking any other condition

a Heat Wave is declared.

This was about the temperatures.

But, in itself,

temperature is not a very useful metric.

Because, if you have ever noticed,

in May, it is easier to tolerate 45°C in Delhi

as compared to 38°C in Mumbai.

38°C in Mumbai seems more unbearable

compared to 45°C in Delhi.

Why is this?

It is because of the humidity.

The more humidity there is in the air,

the more difficult it is to tolerate higher temperatures.

But what really is humidity?

Relative Humidity means

the maximum moisture content in the air at a particular temperature.

100% relative humidity means that

air is completely saturated at a certain temperature.

It is holding as much moisture than it possibly can

and can not hold any more.

You must have studied this in school too.

And school reminds me,

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Now let's get back to the topic.

The thing is the hotter the air is,

the more is its capacity of retaining mositure.

Hot air can hold more moisture as compared to cold air.

This means that if the relative humidity of cold air and hot air is at 100%,

hot air will have more moisture.

And as the humidity increases,

the more difficult it becomes for our body

for the sweat on our body to evaporate.

And sweating, as you know,

is the number one way for our body

to keep us cool.

If it's really hot and there's high humidity,

we will not be able to sweat

and our body will not be able to keep itself cool.

That can be lethal for us.

This is why, it is important to consider both temperature and humidity.

And one metric that considers both of these things together

is the Heat Index.

Heat index tells us

how hot the weather outside will feel for us.

On your phone's weather app, you would have noticed,

the temperature in Mumbai might be written as 31°C,

with the "feels like 37°C" beside it.

In some apps, it is written as Real Feel.

This Feels Like indicator is computed from the heat index.

On this chart, you can see the various temperature levels,

and various relative humidity,

and their corresponding Heat Index.

If the temperature is 35°C and the relative humidity is 50%,

then it will feel like 41°C.

But if at the same temperature,

the relative humidity is at 75%

then it will feel like a dangerous 53°C.

And this comes under the Red category.

which means extreme danger.

On this heat index,

you have a high chance of getting a heat stroke or a sunstroke.

This is why, the latest heat wave in the Philippines

was so dangerous and deadly.

Because the heat index there had reached 53°C.

Those who do not know this,

may look at the actual temperature of "only" 40°C or 41°C,

thinking that it's not very high.

But it is very important to pay attention to the Heat Index.

Because even for the heat index of 32°C to 41°C,

you need to take extreme caution.

If you spend a lot of time in the sun or do any physical activity,

it is possible to get a heat stroke.

We hear cases where people lose their lives due to the heat.

Due to a heat wave.

And this is why, temperature wise, Delhi is hotter right now.

But heat index wise,

how bearable it is to stay outside?

It becomes intolerable by June end.

Because by then the rainy season is about to start

and the humidity increases.

Although, the situation has worsened to an extent that

in Delhi, the Heat Index is touching 50°C.

And according to this report, over the next few days,

it can reach as high as 56°C.

Now apart from this there is another effect

which increases the impact of heat waves impact on a local level.

An effect whose solution

is much easier than all other effects.

The Urban Heat Island Effect.

In different areas of a city,

some places are hotter and some are colder.

You must have noticed this too.

At places with more trees, like parks or any other place,

the temperature is relatively more comfortable there

compared to other areas.

And the areas with only big concrete buildings, tall glass buildings,

8-lane highways, asphalt covered ground,

these places are way hotter.

These places are known as Urban Heat Islands

and there is a very simple reason behind it.

The glass and concrete in buildings,

asphalt on roads,

all of these absorb heat.

They absorb the sunlight.

When a city is covered with concrete,

there is no proper ventilation or air circulation.

So, what happens is that heat is absorbed throughout the day.

The air does not circulate much

and at night, the absorbed heat

is released out into the air.

This effect was studied in Delhi

and it was found that the places where

this urban heat island effect is present

like Connaught Place, Sitaram Bazar, Bhikaji Cama Place,

these places were 3°C to 8°C hotter

as compared to the places with more trees.

Like the Hauz Khas District Park,

Buddha Jayanti Park.

Think about it, friends.

7°C to 8°C.

It's such a huge difference!

This tells you the importance of trees.

And this is why I say that

having a web of roads in any city should not be an indicator of development.

I said this in an old video,

and it was clipped and shared on Twitter by many,

claiming that I am against development.

"Do we really need more highways?

Do we really need double highways?

Do we need double airports?

Because to build these highways

many forests need to be cut down.

There are many such highways

that go through the middle of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries."

Laying down concrete and asphalt in cities

and broadening the roads

is not real development in my opinion.

In my opinion, development means that

people have proper walkable places.

Cities should be designed where the temperature outside is comfortable

there is enough greenery that people can walk to where they need to go.

Cars should be used as little as possible.

Because cars also release heat

which increases the Urban Heat Island effect.

I talked about this in this video

in a city if there are more places where cars are completely banned

it would be better for people.

This is something that most developed countries are starting to understand.

Look at the transformation in Paris.

The government there has banned cars from the city on a large scale.

Removed the asphalt and planted trees.

Promoted cycling.

All this to reduce the intensity of the Urban Heat Island effect.

And people have a comfortable temperature to live in the city

so that people can walk from one place to another.

Promoting public transport as an alternative is very important.

Using air conditioners.

Another thing that raises the intensity of the Urban Heat Island effect.

When it gets hot outside

people use ACs in their homes.

Using ACs in the house means that heat will be released outside.

And the area or the environment outside will get hotter.

One alternative to this is to use natural methods.

Ventilation should be incorporated into the design of the building in a way that

there is minimum need of an AC.

Historically, our ancestors used to design such buildings.

Look at these old buildings in Dubai.

A tower is built in the buildings

this is the ventilation area

so that air can circulate inside the house.

Apart from this, in many places, the roofs are actually painted white

so that the sunlight can be reflected.

Look at this article on Yale University's website.

If you paint your roof of your house white,

then it will make a difference of 2°C to 3°C.

Because dark colours absorb sunlight

and white colour reflects sunlight.

And this isn't applicable only for cities it is equally applicable for rural areas too.

Apart from white paint, another alternative can be

to plant greenery on the roof.

Plant grass or grow trees.

You will ask what else can we do instead of installing AC in houses?

What is its alternative in this modern world?

The straight answer is Radiant Cooling.

This is a new technology

which saves a lot of money in comparison to AC.

What happens in this is,

you install pipes in the walls

through which cold water flows.

And this cold water flowing through the walls,

keeps your house cool without an AC.

This technology is being used in many new buildings,

but in reality, it's an old technology.

In the olden days, the forts built by kings and emperors,

monuments like Taj Mahal,

how did they keep them cool?

By using water channels.

Small channels of water used to flow around the building

and since water passed through the area,

it made the surrounding area cooler.

This is the same concept.

By promoting this technology, not only will the city remain cooler,

but it will save money too.

Electricity bill will be reduced.

And apart from this, obviously,

governments will need to focus on making cities greener.

More trees, more parks,

so that the impact of heat waves can be minimised.

But we will have to implement all these solutions as soon as possible,

because in the near future,

these heat waves are going to get more dangerous

and more impactful.

In a recent Future Projections for the Tropical Indian Ocean study

it showed that in a few years,

we will see almost permanent marine heat waves in the Indian Ocean.

By 2050, in many areas,

heat waves will last for 220 to 250 days a year.

If you found this video informative,

then do watch this video too.

Because in this I have explained that

if we want to make cities liveable,

why is it so important to ban cars?

Click here to watch it.

Thank you very much!