The "City Resilience Toolkit: Response to Deadly Heat Waves and Preparing for Rising Temperatures" by Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Climate and Development Knowledge Network and partners was released in Paris.
The materials released are based on the Indian city of Ahmedabad's pioneering "Heat Action Plan" which became India's first early warning system and preparedness plan for extreme heat in 2013, as well as international experiences and best practices, a media release said.
"We hope city leaders utilise this resource to take climate action to protect those who are most vulnerable to global warming's devastating impacts," he said.
According to the media release, the Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan helps its residents adapt to increasingly deadly heat through interventions that warn vulnerable groups and protect health during heat waves. The Plan was put to the test and proved effective during one of the worst heat waves in history that hit India in May this year.
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"We're seeing sweltering temperatures like those experienced in India during the May heat wave that exceed what the human body can cope with and adapt to," said Dr Kim Knowlton, senior scientist at NRDC.
"Climate change is already making heat waves even more frequent and severe. That's why municipal early warning systems and preparation plans like Ahmedabad's are so important to protect health and save lives during heat waves," he said.
Communities across the world are increasingly experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change - from droughts and heat waves to superstorms and flooding - and are working towards urban resilience solutions through clean energy and similar preparedness plans, the media release added.
Ahmedabad's Heat Action Plan is South Asia's first early warning system against extreme heat waves to help protect the citizens during these disasters.