Practical actions: Markets and neighbourhoods
What to do, who acts, what it takes to run, what could stop it, and what it only works with.
The streets, markets, stops and public spaces where people spend the hottest hours. The full cards, with who each protects, where it suits and its evidence, are on the live page.
What to do: Shade over stalls and aisles, and drinking water points, planned and run with the vendors’ association.
Who acts: City and local governments, Community and civil society groups, Worker organisations and unions
Running and upkeep: Storm-proof fixing, replacing worn cloth, and a refill and cleaning roster. Rough cost: about US$3.2–US$9.5 per m² for shade nets (₹300–₹900 at Indian prices).
What could stop it: Beautification that pushes informal vendors out, and shade that blocks fire access.
Works only if: Vendors have a say in design and upkeep; Nobody is evicted to make room.
Evidence: source 1 below.
What to do: Shade, a bench, drinking water and the heat alert on a board, at bus stops, ration shops and other queues.
Who acts: City and local governments, Community and civil society groups
Running and upkeep: Refilling the water, and keeping access clear for wheelchairs. Rough cost: about US$530–US$6,300 per site (₹50,000–₹6 lakh at Indian prices).
What could stop it: Counting shelters built instead of people protected.
Works only if: It is where people actually wait; Older and disabled people can reach it.
Evidence: source 2 below.
What to do: Cool public spaces, such as libraries, community halls or places of worship, opened during alerts, with water and somewhere to sit.
Who acts: City and local governments, Community and civil society groups, Health authorities
Running and upkeep: Staff, power and water for every alert day, and transport for those who cannot walk there.
What could stop it: A cooled building nobody can reach, open at the wrong hours, or a worker who cannot leave work to use it.
Works only if: People can reach it, including those who can’t walk far; It opens at the right hours, evenings too; Power and water are secure; Someone staffs and funds it; Workers are free to leave work to use it.
Evidence: source 3 below.
What to do: Look after existing trees first; plant heat-hardy species where people walk and wait, with water and three years of care.
Who acts: City and local governments, Water authorities, Community and civil society groups
Running and upkeep: Watering and care for at least three years after planting. Rough cost: about US$21–US$84 per tree, with 2–3 years’ care (₹2,000–₹8,000 at Indian prices).
What could stop it: No water plan, and counting saplings instead of canopy.
Works only if: Water is secured before planting; Someone is paid to care for them; Greening doesn’t push residents out.
Evidence: source 4 below.
Costs, where shown, are rough Indian planning ranges from the site’s cooling options, not quotes. Every action also needs a named owner and a running budget. Labels next to each title say what kind of evidence the card cites.
Sources
- Greenpeace India and National Hawkers Federation, 2024. greenpeace.org/india/en/press/16737/new-report-by-greenpeace-india-and-national-hawkers-federation-reveals-harsh-heatwave-toll-on-street-vendors
- Middel et al., 50 Grades of Shade, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. par.nsf.gov/biblio/10230332-grades-shade
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the GHHIN resource library. heathealth.info/wp-content/uploads/cdc_47657_DS1-compressed-1.pdf
- Hansen et al., chapter 10 in Nature-Based Solutions for Cities, 2023. doi.org/10.4337/9781800376762