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🗞️ Driving the news: In Ahmedabad, India, researchers are equipping residents of low-income neighborhoods with smartwatches to monitor the health impacts of extreme heat
• The initiative, part of a global study across four countries, also includes testing reflective "cool roofs" to mitigate deadly indoor temperatures, which have been rising sharply due to climate change
🔭 The context: Following a 2010 heatwave that caused nearly 1,300 excess deaths, Ahmedabad became one of the first cities in South Asia to implement a heat action plan
• However, with temperatures now routinely exceeding 40°C earlier in the season, vulnerable communities are facing intensified risks
• The study expands on earlier efforts, gathering real-time health data to inform scalable adaptation solutions
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: As global warming accelerates, cities like Ahmedabad highlight the urgent need for localized climate resilience strategies, particularly for over 1.1 billion people living in informal settlements worldwide
• Data-driven interventions such as cool roofs offer a replicable, low-cost method to reduce health risks associated with extreme heat
• However, scalability, maintenance, and policy integration remain key challenges
⏭️ What's next: If proven effective, researchers plan to expand cool roof applications across Ahmedabad and advocate for their adoption globally, targeting vulnerable communities most affected by heat
• Results from the study are expected to influence local adaptation policies and bolster global efforts to protect at-risk populations from climate-driven extreme weather events
💬 One quote: “Climate change and heat are ravaging populations. And now the question comes, what are we doing to address this?” — Aditi Bunker, environmental health researcher leading the global project
📈 One stat: A 2023 study projects a 370% rise in heat-related deaths globally if average temperatures increase to just under 2°C — with South and Southeast Asia among the hardest hit regions
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