BHUBANESWAR: The Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan (IHCAP) report released for Bhubaneswar on Tuesday has revealed alarming trends in the city’s climate future. It warns that by 2050, a normal hot day in the city could feel like today’s extreme heat days, pushing cooling electricity demand up by 7.6 times the current levels.
The report, unveiled by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST), highlights the growing heat stress and rising demand for cooling in the capital. It notes that long-term climate trends point to a steady increase in both temperature and humidity, extending heat stress well into October.
Developed by iFOREST in collaboration with the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC), the plan reflects the vision of a climate-smart city. Releasing the report, mayor Sulochana Das said the IHCAP aims to protect vulnerable citizens and ensure households, workplaces and public spaces are prepared for the realities of a warming world, while promoting sustainable growth.
According to the report, Bhubaneswar, which falls in the warm and humid climate zone, now experiences high temperatures and humidity from March to October. Between 2018 and 2024, the city’s built-up areas increased by 23 per cent, while vegetation cover declined by 10 per cent and water bodies shrank drastically by 75 per cent. The temperature difference between the city and its surrounding rural areas currently ranges from 2°C to 5°C.
The report also highlights the sharp rise in cooling demand. Household air-conditioner ownership jumped from six per cent to 15 per cent between 2021 and 2023, a 73 per cent annual growth rate. ACs now account for one-third of the city’s total electricity use and nearly two-third during summer.
If current trends continue under a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, a typical heatwave day in 2050 could be 1.5°C to 2°C warmer than today, with daytime temperatures rising by 1.5°C and nighttime by 0.63°C compared to current median summer conditions.
However, the report notes that with sustainable interventions, electricity demand could be reduced by about 44 per cent compared to the BAU scenario, though it would still be more than four times of today’s levels.
“Heat stress is now among the gravest challenges for India’s cities,” said iFOREST CEO Chandra Bhushan. “The IHCAP for Bhubaneswar demonstrates how the city can break the vicious cycle of rising temperatures, growing cooling demand, and increasing energy consumption and emissions through sustainable interventions,” he added.