Beating the Heat:

India is highly vulnerable to extreme heat, and with climate change, heat waves are predicted to become more frequent, severe, and prolonged. In Ahmedabad, the growth of GIDC has expedited employment prospects, resulting in the emergence of low-rise, informal settlements in Vatva, the south-eastern part of the city. The vulnerability of the urban poor residing in these precarious informal settlements with limited access to resources is compounded by climate variability and anthropogenic activities. The impacts of such events are often sustained disproportionately across communities and even within a single community and individuals. The study evaluates and compares the vulnerability of six low-income settlements in Vatva to heat stress based on the IPCC framework and recommends community-based heat adaptation strategies. The multi-dimensional approach to vulnerability assessment resonates with the uncertainty and context-dependent character of climate change. The study uses a qualitative empirical methodology that gathers data from primary sources such as surveys and community participation and secondary data sources such as census, reports, and action plans. The settlements' low adaptive capacity and increased exposure and sensitivity make them particularly susceptible to heat-related risks. The impacts of increased heat are evident in the sectors of health, livelihood, well-being, and basic services and infrastructure. The study identifies community-based heat resilient upgradation, retrofitted and socio- cultural strategies from around the world and contextualizes them for the settlements of Vatva. The identified cost-effective solutions at the individual, household, and neighbourhood levels include cool roof and paving options, passive cooling strategies, and community-level interventions. The paper also addresses limitations in the methodology resulting from insufficient data availability and challenges in implementing adaptive strategies due to dependence on external funding and a requirement of sustained community participation. This study thoroughly examines context-specific challenges and feasible and replicable solutions. By utilizing bottom-up approaches, the recommended solutions offer the potential for resource-efficient and tailored
outcomes.