According to a recent study on the human costs of global warming, over 600 million people in India could face fatal heat conditions, if global temperatures rise by an average of 2.7°C by 2100.
The researchers, who conducted an international study on the human consequences of global warming, published their findings in the journal “Nature Sustainability”.
This projection also indicates that people in Nigeria and Indonesia are exposed to extreme heat, leading to increased mortality rates, conflicts, infectious diseases and reduced productivity in labour and agriculture.
In 2015, all countries committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris Climate Agreement to limit global warming to below 2°C. However, current climate actions are projected to result in a 2.7°C increase by 2100.
According to the study, 22 per cent of the world’s population will be exposed to the 2.7°C temperature rise by the end of the century. But if warming is limited to 1.5°C, only 5 per cent would be exposed to dangerous heat levels. In India, the number of people affected would decrease from over 600 million to 90 million with a 1.5°C increase.
Over the period from 1901 to 2018, India's average temperature has already risen by approximately 0.7°C, primarily due to the effects of greenhouse gas-induced warming. Another independent study conducted in India two years ago estimated that heat waves were responsible for around 17,300 deaths out of 1,41,000, caused by extreme weather events between 1970 and 2019.