Rethinking how India adapts to extreme heat
A white paper from Harvard's Salata Institute (April 2026) that brings together perspectives from climate science, public health, labor, agriculture, design, and finance to examine how extreme heat is reshaping life and livelihoods across India.
The core argument: extreme heat in India is no longer a seasonal concern at the margins of climate policy - it is a growing test for public health, worker protection, agriculture, housing, and finance. The paper calls for responses that are grounded in local realities, more accountable in implementation, and more responsive to the people most exposed - spanning everything from heat action plans and forecasting to passive design, insurance, and public financing.
