Source: Asia Development Bank
Asia and the Pacific faces record heatwaves, straining energy systems and endangering public health. Investing in climate science, resilient technologies, and people-centered solutions can help mitigate these risks.
The year 2024 was the hottest on record and the first time the world reached 1.6oC above preindustrial levels. Such extreme heat events are only expected to rise, with countries in Asia and the Pacific particularly at risk.
Energy systems face dual challenges that make them particularly vulnerable to extreme heat events. On the demand side, the heightened use of air conditioners during heatwaves can strain already stretched electricity networks and lead to power cuts and blackouts.
Asia and the Pacific’s rapid socio-economic and urban development has seen a surge in air conditioning usage and a notable increase in electricity consumption during days when temperatures reach 30oC (86oF) and above.
Less acknowledged are the negative impacts that higher temperatures can have on the supply side of energy systems. For example, solar photovoltaic cells become less efficient in producing electricity under temperatures above 25oC (77oF), while the efficiency of thermal power plants – using coal, gas or nuclear energy – decreases when the cooling water they use becomes warmer.
High temperatures also put additional stress on electronic components such as battery cells and power inverters. Power lines, transformers and substations can overheat during heatwaves, resulting in lower rates of electricity transmission and distribution efficiency or, in the worst case, power failures.
We have seen such impacts in the region this last year. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic experienced frequent power outages due to high electricity demand during April’s heatwave. The Philippines suffered brownouts across various regions due to shutdowns and reduced power plant and grid capacities during the same month. Bangladesh had to carry out power cuts in 2024, affecting millions of people. In Pakistan, frequent and prolonged power outages in Karachi during scorching heat in June contributed to the spread of heat-related deaths.
The record-breaking heat of 2024 exposed the vulnerabilities of energy and health systems across Asia and the Pacific, underscoring the urgent need for climate-resilient investments in infrastructure, technology, and policy coordination.
Such energy disruptions can impact the functioning of health systems severely. Energy is crucial for protecting public health by enabling the operation of medical devices and telemedicine, as well as regulating indoor temperatures, refrigerating food and medicine, and ensuring the supply of clean drinking water.
Power outages can curtail the basic functioning of hospitals and health clinics and shut down IT and communication systems.
This includes limiting access to medical record systems and vital laboratory testing data needed to make critical decisions about patients. Added to this, heatwaves create a surge in demand for health care services, including emergency visits and ambulance call outs, which simultaneously increases energy demand.
The consequences for human health can be deadly. People with chronic health problems are more predisposed to the impacts of extreme heat, such as those with cardiovascular and upper respiratory disease, communicable disease, diabetes, kidney disease and mental illness.
Specific groups of people are also more vulnerable to the negative impacts of heat stress, including the elderly, pregnant women, infants, children, outdoor workers and those from lower socio-economic groups who often lack access to air conditioning systems in their homes.
Weak health surveillance systems in many Pacific Islands countries and lower middle-income countries in Asia unfortunately mean that heat-related deaths and illnesses are being underestimated. Where data exists, the impacts are alarming. A report in People’s Republic of China for example, showed a fourfold increase in heat-related mortality between the years 1990 and 2019.
With the frequency of extreme heat being the new reality, there are a number of immediate investments that can be considered across systems in Asia and the Pacific, spanning science, technology and people-centered approaches.
Firstly, converging state-of-the-art science and data with people-centered approaches can help improve the design of systems-level investments that benefit the health and energy sectors. The use of advanced climate modeling techniques allows governments and companies to better understand the impacts of heat stress on these systems and to explore solutions that address these challenges.
More heat data allows insurance providers to design and offer more heat insurance products that better protect companies and workers. Upgrading early warning systems with the latest science in forecasting extreme heat allows more accurate and timely warnings.
Combining such upgrades with collaboration – such as with energy providers, health institutions and communities – also means more meaningful warnings that allow a multisectoral response to heat action planning, setting up local cooling centers, and preparing community outreach to vulnerable groups.
Secondly, investments in climate-resilient energy technologies can strengthen the reliability of energy systems against extreme heat. Currently, many Asian and Pacific countries rely on the use of fossil fuels and power conservation measures during higher power demands. Strengthening electricity networks and storage technology are longer-term solutions that can match the region’s growing electricity needs with the increasing frequency of heatwaves.
Implementing innovative cooling solutions and heat-resilient designs for power plants and grids can reduce efficiency losses during extreme heat events. Smart grid technologies can provide energy suppliers with real-time visibility that reduces the likelihood of large-scale outages. Promoting energy-efficient cooling appliances and energy-saving building designs – such as cool roofs – can also help reduce demands on electricity networks during heatwaves.
These investments will reduce energy disruptions to health systems during extreme heat events, but there is a third set of solutions within the health sector that should also be considered. This includes ensuring heat-resilient back-up energy options for health facilities during power failures, and the installation of energy-efficient smart air conditioning systems.
Wider investments to decarbonize and green health care facilities also lowers their energy demand. Equally crucial are the “softer” investments in strengthening health-heat surveillance systems, tailoring early warning systems and data sharing for the health sector, and developing business continuity plans that ensure health service delivery and surge capacity management during heatwaves.
The experience of 2024 as the hottest year on the planet highlights how urgent it is to address extreme heat. Sadly, it also heralds the implications ahead. Asia and the Pacific sweltered under multiple heatwaves in 2024, seeing power outages and disruptions to people’s lives and livelihoods across the region.
There’s still hope. Countries and the international community need to continue to reduce greenhouse gases as part of their climate mitigation pledges to the Paris Agreement. But equally, we have climate adaptation opportunities to embrace science, technology and people-centered approaches.
Applying such measures to systems-level investments in Asia and the Pacific will produce more climate-resilient energy and health outcomes under the growing severity of a warmer future.