India standing on the frontlines of global warming, more than 70 per cent of Indians say they have personally faced the wrath of severe heat waves, prolonged droughts, and worsening water shortages, according to a new report released by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. The study, which analyzed responses from over 19,000 participants between 2022 and 2025, offers a sobering glimpse into how climate change is already reshaping daily life across India’s states and districts.

The report, part of Yale’s ongoing Climate Opinion Maps project, found sharp regional disparities in climate impacts. Northern and Western states such as Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest exposure to extreme heat, with nearly eight in ten residents saying they experienced severe heat waves in the past year. In contrast, southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu saw relatively lower, though still significant, exposure levels ranging from 52 to 55 per cent.

Beyond heat, Indians are confronting cascading effects of a warming planet, including agricultural pests and diseases (59 per cent), water and air pollution (53 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively), and frequent power outages (59 per cent). Odisha emerged as a hotspot for overlapping climate crises, where nearly two-thirds of residents faced both cyclones and droughts, including the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Dana in October 2024.

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Experts believe that understanding citizens’ lived experiences can shape more resilient policy responses. “As India rapidly develops while facing intensifying extreme weather, understanding how people perceive and experience climate change is essential,” said Dr. Jagadish Thaker, Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland and one of the lead authors. He added that the data-driven climate maps provide state and district leaders with crucial insights to design adaptive climate action plans that reflect public realities.

Lead researcher Dr. Jennifer Marlon emphasized that the findings reveal both vulnerability and opportunity. “These data show how deeply climate change is affecting Indian lives,” she said, noting that informed policy, public engagement, and sustainable development strategies must now go hand in hand to mitigate the crisis. The report serves as a wake-up call for India to invest in large-scale climate resilience while empowering communities already bearing the brunt of a hotter, harsher environment.

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