Worsening climate change driven by fossil fuels behind India’s extreme heat, says UN climate chief

The ongoing extreme heat sweeping across large parts of India is being driven primarily by worsening climate change caused by the large-scale burning of coal, oil and gas, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said on Wednesday.

Stiell also underlined the severe human and economic consequences of the heatwave, especially for people living in homes without access to cooling and for those forced to work long hours outdoors in dangerous temperatures.

“These extremes drive home the importance of measures to adapt to climate impacts, globally,” said Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in a statement.

His remarks came as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue across central and northwest India over the next two to three days.

The relentless rise in temperatures has also pushed electricity demand to unprecedented levels across the country. Peak power demand reached 257.3 GW on May 18, climbed to 260.4 GW on May 19, rose further to 265 GW on May 20, and touched a record 270.8 GW on May 21.

“India has also seen record-breaking peak electricity demand in recent days. Solar and other renewable energy sources have helped in meeting day-time peaks, and India’s strong steps to ramp up solar power have been a benefit,” Stiell said.

He added that the extreme heat highlighted the urgent need for homegrown clean energy and energy-efficiency measures, which can help provide cooling to vulnerable communities while ensuring more secure and affordable electricity for households, businesses, healthcare services and electric transport systems.

Stiell further said the heatwave presents a double challenge to lives and livelihoods, especially amid the ongoing fossil fuel cost crisis and rising prices of imported fossil fuels triggered by conflict in West Asia.

The UN climate chief stressed that accelerating the transition to renewable energy would not only help reduce emissions driving climate change but also strengthen energy security and protect populations from increasingly frequent and intense weather extremes.