Focusing on Tamil Nadu—one of the country’s most urbanised and climate-vulnerable states—the report explores how District Cooling can address rising urban heat, growing energy demand, and environmental stress, while supporting inclusive and climate-resilient development.
As climate challenges intensify globally, India stands at a pivotal moment. While not a historical polluter, the country is uniquely positioned to lead with a response grounded in indigenous knowledge and a centuries-old ethos of sustainability. With development needs still pressing, India’s challenge lies in balancing growth with climate resilience—especially in its rapidly heating cities.
Urban areas are increasingly affected by rising temperatures due to pollution, concretisation, and loss of green cover—exacerbating the Urban Heat Island effect. The result is a sharp rise in cooling demand across buildings, cold chains, transport, and industry. Projections suggest that by 2038, India’s cooling demand will increase eightfold from 2018 levels, with air-conditioning penetration expected to grow from 8% today to 40%. Without systemic change, cooling alone could account for 45% of peak electricity demand by 2050, with greenhouse gas emissions from air-conditioning and refrigeration rising by 90% over 2017 levels.
Traditional responses—incremental energy efficiency improvements, voluntary standards, and market-driven adoption—will not suffice. India's heavy reliance on decentralised cooling systems intensifies resource use, increases emissions, and deepens environmental stress. A transformative, systems-based approach is needed.