Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam’s electricity demand for cooling buildings, industry, and cold chains will more than double by 2040. It will jump from 3,576 GWh in 2025 to 8,445 GWh. Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah unveiled the Assam Cooling Action Plan in Guwahati on Wednesday. Experts developed the framework to meet rising demand while lowering environmental damage.
The Assam Climate Change Management Society built the plan alongside WRI India. It follows the 2019 India Cooling Action Plan roadmap. The state now faces extreme summer heat. Temperatures often hit 40°C with high humidity. Records show a 0.59°C rise in annual average temperatures between 1951 and 2010. Models suggest mean maximum temperatures could rise another 1.0°C by 2040. The plan acknowledges the urgent need for action. It states: "Cooling is essential for health, productivity and economic growth."
The policy targets buildings, cold chains, industry, and transport. Most current systems use energy-heavy refrigerant gases that warm the planet. Researchers struggle with data gaps, as total built-up area remains unmapped. Residential projections relied on surveys from 2013 to 2021. No reliable data exists for cooling assets in commercial or industrial sectors.
The plan pushes for six measures to clean up mobile air conditioning. It wants better public transit and shaded lanes for bicycles to cut private car use. It suggests using bamboo and paddy husk as cheap insulation in shared transport. It also demands a certified workforce to stop refrigerant venting. India ratified the Kigali Amendment in 2021 to phase down harmful hydrofluorocarbons. This plan brings that goal to the state level.
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