As the heat season approaches, India’s most urgent climate challenges are converging.
This week, the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) hosted a knowledge-sharing workshop bringing together their experts on heat, water, and energy to discuss findings from three separate studies.
Taken together, the research paints a striking picture of a country on the edge.
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO INDIA’S NIGHTS?
The most jarring finding, from CEEW’s district-level heat risk study published in May 2025, is that India’s nights are warming faster than its days.
About 70 per cent of districts recorded more than five additional very warm nights per summer over the past decade, compared to just 28 per cent that saw a similar rise in daytime heat.
Very warm nights are those where temperatures remain above what was considered normal 95 per cent of the time historically.
The body needs cooler nights to recover from heat exposure. When that window disappears, the risk accumulates. This is especially true for the elderly, outdoor workers, children, and people with conditions like diabetes or hypertension.
WHY IS HUMID HEAT MORE DANGEROUS?
The same study found that relative humidity across the Indo-Gangetic Plain has risen by up to 10 per cent over the last decade. Traditionally dry cities such as Delhi, Jaipur, and Kanpur are now recording humidity levels of 40 to 50 per cent.
This matters because humidity can make the felt temperature 3 to 5 degrees Celsius higher than what a thermometer actually reads. When body temperature exceeds 37 degrees Celsius, sweating is the main cooling mechanism, but high humidity stops sweat from evaporating, making even moderate heat dangerous.
Overall, 57 per cent of India’s 734 districts, home to 76 per cent of the country’s population, now fall in the high or very high heat risk category.
CAN INDIA’S POWER GRID KEEP UP?
Hotter temperatures mean higher electricity demand. A March 2025 CEEW study on power pathways found that India will need 600 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 if demand continues to outpace official projections due to warming weather or economic growth.
India’s peak demand already hit a record 238 GW in February 2025, with summer peaks expected to cross 260 GW.
IS INDIA DOING ENOUGH WITH ITS WATER?
Probably not. A November 2025 CEEW study on treated used water found that India currently treats only 28 per cent of the wastewater it generates daily, and more than 80 per cent of cities either do not reuse treated water or lack the infrastructure to do so.
The study projects that scaling up water reuse could create a US $35 billion economic opportunity by 2047 and generate over one lakh new jobs. Surat already offers a working model, supplying treated water to industries and generating over Rs 230 crore in revenue between 2014 and 2021.
India’s heat season has not yet peaked, but the data suggests the pressure on its infrastructure already has.
