New Delhi, April 8 India lost an estimated 160 billion labor hours due to heat exposure in 2021, which is equivalent to 5.4 per cent of its GDP, according to a new report.
The report also revealed that heatwaves were linked to an 11.7 per cent increase in the risk of death related to cardiovascular diseases, a concern in India where heart disease already accounts for around 28 per cent to 30 per cent of all deaths.
The report, titled 'Under the Weather: India's Climate-Health Intersections and Pathways to Resilience,' was released on Wednesday by ClimateRISE Alliance, a collaborative platform that works towards building climate resilience, in collaboration with Dasra, a strategic philanthropic support organization.
"Rising heat is also emerging as a significant concern for maternal health."
Over the last five years, pregnant women in India experienced an average of six additional days of dangerously high temperatures each year, while heatwaves are associated with a 16 per cent increase in the odds of preterm birth, alongside links to stillbirths and newborn hospitalisation," the analysis stated.
It also highlighted that climate impacts interact with existing inequities and disproportionately affect those who are already vulnerable, including women, children, informal workers, rural communities, and those with weaker access to healthcare.
"In this sense, climate stress acts as a multiplier, deepening existing burdens rather than creating entirely separate ones," the analysis added.
The findings indicate that to tackle climate impacts in India, there is a need to view climate action, public health preparedness and resilience-building together.
An integrated approach can generate co-benefits across systems, improving health outcomes while also strengthening productivity, preparedness, and community resilience, according to the report.