Climate Change

Urban heatscapes: How Pune’s rapid urbanisation fuels rising, unequal heat

84% of land in the city covered under heat stress, CSE analysis found

Surangya Kaur, Dhruval Parekh

Pune has transformed dramatically over the years — from a pensioners’ paradise with famously pleasant weather to a fast-growing IT and industrial hub. But this rapid urbanisation has come at a cost that not everyone feels equally.

Pune has seen the highest temperature rise among all major Indian cities due to urbanisation: An alarming 0.55°C per decade. In this episode of Urban Heatscapes, we explore why Pune’s temperatures are climbing, how sprawling construction and migration have reshaped the city’s climate, and why the heat affects some neighbourhoods much more than others.