NEW DELHI: A new study conducted by researchers at Oxford University indicates that India will need more cooling solutions, such as expansion of air conditioners, in the coming decades to protect its large population from rising heat levels. The study highlights that if the current pace of fossil fuel consumption (including oil, coal, and gas) continues, global temperatures could rise by 2°C in the next 25 years, potentially doubling the number of people exposed to extreme heat. Simultaneously, the cooler areas of the planet will shrink by half. In 2010, approximately 23 per cent of the world's population (about 1.54 billion people) faced extreme heat, a figure projected to increase to 41 per cent (around 3.79 billion people) by 2050.

Source: Indian Express January 26, 2026 18:59 UTC