During Mumbai Climate Week, the WHO–World Meteorological Organization Climate and Health Joint Programme, in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation and Wellcome, announced two new initiatives to protect South Asians from extreme heat. The initiatives aim to strengthen regional capacity to detect, prepare for, and respond to heat-related health risks, which pose growing threats to human health, livelihoods, and economic stability in the subcontinent.
The first initiative, the South Asia Climate-Health Desk, is led by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in partnership with the India Meteorological Department. It focuses on translating climate and weather information into actionable guidance for health authorities, communities, and public services. By improving early warning systems, risk assessments, and decision-support tools, the Desk seeks to help stakeholders act quickly before and during extreme heat events, reducing preventable illness and deaths.
Complementing this, the South Asia Scientific Research Consortium, coordinated by IISER Pune and involving regional research institutions, aims to deepen understanding of how heat affects populations differently across South Asia. This research will inform tailored heat-risk thresholds, enhance heat action planning, and improve preparedness strategies, ensuring interventions are targeted to vulnerable communities, occupations, and geographic contexts.
The initiatives represent the first components of a broader regional strategy supported by a combined $11.5 million investment from The Rockefeller Foundation and Wellcome. By integrating research, climate monitoring, and public health responses, these programs seek to pioneer science-driven collaboration between meteorological departments and health systems, equipping governments and communities with the knowledge needed to prevent heat-related illness and strengthen resilience.
Officials highlighted the urgent need for such coordinated efforts, noting that extreme heat in South Asia regularly exceeds 50°C and contributes to over 200,000 deaths annually. The programs aim to turn cutting-edge scientific data into practical solutions, helping the region adapt to rising temperatures, safeguard public health, and protect the most vulnerable populations from the growing risks of climate change.
