Bhubaneswar Leads the Way: India’s First Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan Released by BMC and iFOREST.

Bhubaneswar, 2nd September 2025, (Pratyusha Bureau):

The environment think tank International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST) and the Bhubaneswar MunicipalCorporation (BMC) today released the Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan (IHCAP) forBhubaneswar India’s first city-level framework to address rising heat stress and coolingdemand in an integrated manner.Developed by iFOREST in collaboration with the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC), the IHCAP forBhubaneswar provides a comprehensive roadmap to tackle the growing challenge of increasingtemperatures and humidity, the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, and rapidly rising demand forcooling.The report was released by Smt. Sulochana Das, Mayor, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation,Dr. Chandra Bhushan, CEO, iFOREST and Mr Ander Zozaya Project Manager, CoolingSingapore, Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC).Speaking at the launch, Dr. Chandra Bhushan, CEO of iFOREST, said:”Heat stress is now among the gravest challenges for India’s cities. With IHCAP, Bhubaneswaris demonstrating how cities can break the vicious cycle of rising temperatures, growing coolingdemand, and increasing energy consumption and emissions. This should become a blueprint forother Indian cities, bridging the gap between mitigation and adaptation, and aligning localaction with state and national climate strategies.’Smt. Sulochana Das, Mayor of Bhubaneswar, added:”Bhubaneswar has always embraced forward-looking urban solutions. The IHCAP reflects ourvision of a climate-smart city that protects vulnerable citizens, ensures that every household,workplace, and public space in Bhubaneswar is prepared for the realities of a warming world,and promotes sustainable growth.”Mr Ander Zozaya Project Manager, Cooling Singapore, Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC),spoke about the urban climate simulation tools being developed at SEC:”Our goal at Singapore ETH center is to develop tools that equip policymakers and urbanplanners with the information to make robust and scientifically consistent decisions. Our analysis has revealed an Urban Heat Island effect of 7°C in Singapore compared to thesurrounding area. With the digital urban climate twin model that we have developed, urbanplanners can trial different scenarios and intervention strategies to come up with the best courseof action to mitigate urban heat in the given city.”iFOREST undertook year-long research to develop the IHCAP. Some key findings of theresearch are:Long-term climate trends indicate a steady rise in temperature and humidity levels inBhuwaneshwar. Summers are not only hotter but also more humid, significantlyheightening the risk of heat stroke.Heat stress in Bhubaneswar now extends until October. If IMD’s experimental “FeelsLike” temperature threshold is applied, more than 230 days in 2024 would have beendeclared as Orange or Yellow alert days.The Urban Heat Island effect is intensifying due to large-scale concretisation. Between2018 and 2024, built-up areas increased by 23%, while vegetation declined by 10% andwater bodies by a drastic 75%.The temperature difference between Bhubaneswar and surrounding rural areas currentlyranges between 2.0-5.0°C.Around 30% of workers-especially in construction, transport, street vending, and gigwork-lose 20-30% productivity and wages due to heat stress. Citywide, annual incomeloss has already reached 8.6%.Between 2021 and 2023, household ownership of air conditioners rose from 6% to 15%(a 73% annual growth rate). ACs now account for one-third of the city’s electricityconsumption and nearly two-thirds during summer.Climate projections show that by 2050, a “normal hot day” in Bhubaneswar will feelsimilar to today’s extreme heat days.Under a Business-as-Usual scenario, electricity consumption from cooling is projected toincrease 7.6 times by 2050.Using advanced modelling techniques, the IHCAP provides actionable recommendationsfor Bhubaneswar along five key pillars:Cool the City: Expand urban greening in all wards to meet WHO’s benchmark of 9 m²per person; implement citywide cool roof programmes; restore water bodies; promotegreen roads, pavements, and undertake traffic decongestion.Cool Buildings: Revise and implement Odisha Energy Conservation Building Codes forall commercial and institutional buildings over 500 m²; adopt Eco-Niwas Samhita 2024for residential plots above 225 m².Sustainable Cooling for All: Roll out white roof programmes in slums; provideincentives for super-efficient fans and 5-star ACs; pilot district cooling systems incommercial and institutional zones.Enhance Heat Resilience: Strengthen electricity, water, and health infrastructure;establish cooling shelters and shaded, ventilated bus stops.Adapt to Heat: Revise heat thresholds to include humidity and night-time conditions;introduce spatial heat-risk mapping: pilot parametric insurance for vulnerable workers.