The heat is on: Climate change's impact on world explained in numbers

The faster melting of ice in the Himalayan region has always been a kind of benchmark to substantiate global warming effects

As nations continue to debate on the reasons of, and solutions to, climate change, data repeatedly corroborates the intensity of it. Mean temperatures have been rising gradually with cyclical ups and downs. From hovering near 25 degrees Celsius a century ago, annual mean temperature in India is kissing 26 degrees Celsius regularly in recent years, shows Chart 1. 

Its impact on human life is starkly visible. Human deaths due to heat waves went through the roof in the 2012-2015 period, prompting the government to formulate a heat action plan. This increased awareness, improved reporting of heat waves and reduced extreme