ગુજરાતી
Not only heat but other three factors are responsible for the danger of heat.
Ahmedabad, 19 June 2026
In the study article ‘Moving Beyond Exposure: A Globally Comparable Framework for Heat Risk Assessment in Cities’, written by Oxford University researchers Nethmi Jayaratne Kariyawasam, Jesus Lizana and Radhika Khosla, heat risk in cities cannot be measured by temperatures or heatwaves alone; Several cities in India, especially Ahmedabad, have been declared the second most heat-prone cities in the world, which suggests that social vulnerability and resilience are equally important.
Most global studies to date have determined risk in cities by only measuring factors such as temperature, heatwaves, urban heat islands, etc.
The mortality rate and impact are not the same in any two cities with similar temperatures. Because, poverty, increasing population, greenery, lack of health facilities, availability of electricity, access to air conditioning can change the risk to a great extent.
The study analyzed 205 global cities with a population of more than 1 million.
three aspects
How hot is it in the city, what is the vulnerability in which poverty, increasing population, economic situation, health sensitivity are found.
Keeping in mind the aspect of green area, cooling facility, access to electricity, capacity to cope with heat, how is it.
Ahmedabad has proved to be the weakest among these 3 aspects.
This leads to the conclusion that India is being particularly affected. The study found several cities in India to be at high risk. The top risk cities are Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Madurai.
ahmedabad status
Hazard Exposure 0.89
Vulnerability 0.57
Lack of ability to cope 0.79
Overall risk 0.79
Ahmedabad is one of the hottest cities in the world.
1
Heat Hazard Exposure
Direct exposure to heat is very high in Ahmedabad due to extremely high temperatures, heat waves and the urban heat island effect. A score of 0.89 indicates that the city is highly vulnerable to heat stress.
2
social vulnerability
Social vulnerability is 0.57. In which this score is determined on the basis of factors like poverty, increasing population, slums, health condition and economic condition. The city has a large population that can be more affected by the heat.
A score of 0.57 means that 57% of the people in Ahmedabad are poor.
There is poverty, aging population, high population density, slums, lack of open spaces, lack of greenery.
Such factors together make the city more sensitive to heat. In Ahmedabad, many wards in the eastern region are at higher risk of heatstroke due to higher population density and less greenery
3
lack of heat tolerance
The heat tolerance of Ahmedabad is 0.79. The index measures how effective measures such as greenery, cooling facilities, electricity, health services, public infrastructure and action plans against heat are. There is still a major lack of heat protection and adaptability in Ahmedabad.
overall risk
The overall heat risk index is 0.79. A total risk score is prepared by combining the above three factors. 0.79 indicates that Ahmedabad is one of the most heat-prone cities in the world.
For Ahmedabad in simple language,
Heat Intensity (0.89) → Very High
Social Vulnerability (0.57) → Moderate to High
Lack of coping ability (0.79) → High
Total heat risk (0.79) → Very worrying
poverty
Despite high temperatures, low-risk cities have low risk due to good infrastructure. But this is not the case in Ahmedabad.
A study by the AMC and the Center for Urban Management has revealed that there are about 1.73 lakh slum dwellings in Ahmedabad. 7.8 lakh to 8.7 lakh people live in slums.
Lives in poor housing conditions. Due to which the risk of heat stroke increases.
In 2006, 25.8% of the total population of Ahmedabad, i.e. about 9 lakh people, lived in slums.
Another study of poverty in Ahmedabad
On average, about 24% of the urban population worldwide lives in slum-like conditions. Therefore, Ahmedabad’s rate of 23-26% is around or slightly above the global average.
Which comes third after Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai. After this come Delhi and Surat.
There is high urban poverty and population living in slums. The urban poverty rate in Gujarat was 28% in 1993–94, which the government claims has declined to 10% in 2011–12.
According to a study in 2006, about 25.8% of Ahmedabad’s population of approximately 9 lakh lived in slums. Not much has changed. According to other official estimates, the slum population in Ahmedabad was about 23%.
study findings
Heat risk is not determined just by weather; Equally important is how vulnerable the community is and the heating capacity of the city. In which 16 cities except Gandhinagar of Gujarat are very weak.
Ahmedabad is the second most dangerous city in the world. Ahmedabad was ranked second among the top 50 most heat-prone cities in the world. Only Iraq’s Al-Basra was ahead of Ahmedabad. This study is extremely important for India, and Ahmedabad in particular, as it shows that heat risk is determined not only by temperature, but also by social and structural factors.
The study analyzed 205 cities around the world with a population of more than 1 million.
Ahmedabad’s anti-heatstroke, social vulnerability, limited coping capacity
The score is poor. According to the study, Ahmedabad faces a high risk.
This study is not based solely on high temperatures.
Authorities have done little to address issues such as prolonged heat in Ahmedabad, the urban heat island effect, dense population, areas with sparse greenery, impoverished and informal settlements, and a lack of cooling facilities. They have merely engaged in token tree-planting efforts.
The study specifically highlights that factors such as people’s economic status, the elderly population, greenery, and access to electricity are just as critical as the heatwaves themselves.
Given the continuously rising temperatures and rapid urbanization, this study serves as a warning.
According to researchers, efforts to simply lower temperatures are insufficient.
Cities need to prioritize planting more trees, implementing cool roofs, establishing public cooling centers and drinking water facilities, and focusing on heat-related health preparedness and heat action plans.
Researchers note that Ahmedabad implemented one of the world’s first major heat action plans. This plan integrates heat warnings, public awareness campaigns, health system preparedness, cool roof programs in low-income areas, and systems for drinking water and hydration. According to the study, these measures have helped reduce heat-related deaths; however, in Ahmedabad, the implementation remains largely on paper.
Ahmedabad is not dangerous merely because it is one of the world’s hottest cities; rather, the combination of high temperatures, social vulnerability, and limited adaptive capacity makes it one of the cities most at risk from heat globally.
Ahmedabad is the city with the second-highest heat risk in the world; an Oxford study has revealed new methods for assessing heat risk.
Certain cities that experience extreme heat, such as Bangkok (Thailand) and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), rank lower on the composite index due to their robust coping capacities, which mitigate their vulnerability. Gujarat
Cities in Gujarat such as Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara, Surat, and Bhavnagar are experiencing persistent heatwaves.
Merely attempting to lower temperatures is not enough. It is also essential to focus on urban greenery, water availability, cooling centers in low-income areas, healthcare systems, and heat action plans. (Google translation from Gujarati; please refer to the original report.)
