Adaptation & Resilience
Problem Overview: Majority workforce is vulnerable to heat yet businesses & supply chain operations lack the support needed to build resiliency
India is seeing record high heatwaves and sustained higher temperatures with longer summers. ~75% of India's workforce (approx 380 million) depend on heat-exposed labour for their livelihoods. Hot weather lowers output by 2-3% for every degree above 25℃ [1]. As per the Lancet Countdown report, India lost ~247 bn labour hours due to heat resulting in ~$194 Bn in economic losses, majorly consisting of the agriculture(66%) & construction sector (20%)[2]. Many large corporates, supply chain operations, construction & Industrial operations are starting to feel the urgency related to losses incurred but lack the resources & knowledge to build resiliency, and take appropriate measures.
Core Bottlenecks: Lack of granular climate-risk data, practical adaptation tools, and financing for retrofits or upgrading buildings ahead of shocks.
1. Lack of Granular Weather Data
IMD national weather forecast which reports city or district level temperature is main source of climate monitoring. Microclimate study is required to understand heat risk and its consequences better.
2. Occupational Heat Risk is not reported in spite of regulation
Without verifiable site level stress data, ESG reports seldom show the real risk scenario. Therefore companies either omit this section or rely on broad level data to give an overview.
3. Advisory Layer is Missing
Even if monitoring is conducted, translation of that data to a resilience plan is missing. Without the decision making layer to heat monitoring, companies often fall prey to desperate band aid solutions.
Existing Approaches and Technology Readiness
WBGT Hardware
Does not capture Indian Microclimates, hyperlocal monitoring is missing
Where is the white-space for innovation?
There is an increasing requirement of climate & labour risk data, their correlation & means to solve for it. But the knowledge and implementation gap still remains unaddressed without any proven methodology in sight. There is a need for innovation on three fronts:
Science Breakthrough
A proven way to measure productivity loss by heat in different working conditions & different microclimates is required. Perceived temperature, physical labour, manufacturing plants with machines radiating heat etc form unique environments that require more than just ambient temperature reading.
Engineering
Integrated Heat Intelligence platform is needed with real-time hyperlocal WBGT monitoring + wearables, microclimate modeling, safety recommendation and other actionable advisory protocols. Regulation compliance format for disclosure reporting. Cooling Solutions for ambient & latent heat.
Business Model / Operation
Safe-working window can potentially change the way business and supply chain operate. Innovation in working around these constraints is needed.
How we identify climate innovation opportunities?
- Gayatri Singh, Mary Joyce Carlson, Akhil Surya, (2025,Sept). What will it take for India to finally innovate a legal regime for its heat-stressed outdoor workers, The Leaflet
- Planetary Objectives, (2026,February). Climate Change & Public Health in India: A lancet countdown 2025 Analysis
- Reed Intelligence Research Team (2026). India Heat Stress Monitor Market Size & Outlook, 2026-2034
Abbreviations: WBGT: Wet Bulb Globe Temperature; OSH: Occupational Safety,Health and Working Conditions Code,2020 BRSR: Business Responsibility & Sustainability Reporting; IMD: Indian Meteorological Department
Last Updated On: June 5, 2026
Economic Potential
- India, 202564.82Mn USD[3]
- India, 2030114Mn USD[3]
Impact Potential
- Lives Impacted: (Workforce exposed to extreme heat)~380 Mn people
- Risk Index Score, India:12/27
- Hazard
- Exposure
- Sensitivity
- Adaptive Capacity
- Vulnerability
| Low | Med | High |
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Livelihoods
Connectivity
p-ARL Score
10/12
Spotlight for innovation in India
Research
IMD & IIT Roorkee: Designed an EWS Prototype for Individual Health Risk based on your lifestyle & environment. Currently deployed in Delhi for testing.
SHRAM by IECC: Developed a system to measure heat risk for manual labour with a ‘Extended Heat Index for Labouring Populations’ that takes into account body thermoregulations.
Jarsh Safety - Solutions specific for Industrial workers. WorkAlive: IoT monitoring with wearable camera to predict worker fatigue, stress & unsafe conditions. + Patented ‘Air-conditioned’ cooling helmet with a solid-state cooling technology.