Extreme heatwave in India and Pakistan may not be due to climate change, says WMO

The Indian subcontinent has been passing through a very hot summer and many scientists have attributed the heatwave in India and Pakistan to climate change. However, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) disagreed and said that it is premature to assume the rise in temperature is solely due to climate change.

The international body issued a statement on Friday saying that it is premature to attribute the extreme heat in India and Pakistan solely to climate change. "However, it is consistent with what we expect in a changing climate. Heatwaves are more frequent and intense now. They also start earlier than they did in the past".

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in its Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) has predicted that heatwaves and humid heat stress will be more intense and frequent in South Asia in this century.

In India, the northwest region has witnessed three heatwaves since March. The third one has sent the mercury to over 45°C across several Indian states. The northwestern Himalayan states are also seeing soaring temperatures. Similarly in Pakistan, daytime temperatures are likely to be between 5°C and 8°C above normal, reported the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

The mountainous regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan are at risk of melting of snow and ice due to unusual heat. The agency has warned of the possibility of glacial lake outburst floods or flash floods in certain regions.

India saw its warmest March on record while Pakistan saw its highest March temperature in the past 60 years, said the WMO. The summer has led to deteriorated air quality and put large swathes of land at risk of extreme fire danger as well.

The WMO said the warning systems and heat action plans have saved lives during the hot season. The need for a multi-hazard early warning system was also warned in the WMO's statement.

The statement further said that heatwaves have multiple impacts on human health, ecosystems, agriculture, water-energy supplies, and several key sectors of the economy.

The WMO noted that both India and Pakistan have successful heat-health early warning systems and action plans. "They reduce heat mortality and lessen the social impacts of extreme heat, including lost work productivity".