NRDC’s Global Forum brings together leaders to address the challenges of extreme heat and sustainable cooling

The Global Heat & Cooling Forum, organised by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in partnership with NDMA, DST, and The World Bank Group, concluded in New Delhi. The two-day event focused on solutions to combat extreme heat and promote sustainable cooling, with an emphasis on building climate resilience.

In his keynote address, Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Rural Development and Communication, called heat a humanitarian crisis, urging support for both innovative and traditional cooling methods. Experts, including Abhas Jha from The World Bank, stressed that India’s heat burden is set to triple over the next decade, requiring proactive and equitable solutions.

Manish Bapna, NRDC’s President & CEO, emphasised the importance of collective action to ensure vulnerable communities have access to energy-efficient cooling. The forum also explored practical solutions like passive cooling and innovative financing models to drive scalable and sustainable cooling efforts across India.

The forum concluded with a commitment to continued collaboration, with plans to follow up on developing integrated solutions for both extreme heat and cooling challenges.