Media for Climate Action: Reporting on Urban Decarbonisation and Heat Resilience in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is increasingly emerging as one of India’s most heat-vulnerable states. With nearly 90% of its districts classified under high or very high heat-risk categories, the state recorded an average of eight heatwave days annually between 2011 and 2021 and 13 in 2024 alone—the highest in a decade. As rapid urbanisation intensifies the "urban heat island" effect, cities like Chennai face a dual challenge: mounting heat stress and an urgent need for passive cooling solutions. Subsequently the Government of Tamil Nadu recently declared extreme heatwaves a state-specific disaster, a critical gap remains in public understanding.

Technical climate data often fails to reach the citizens most affected. Bridging this gap requires media professionals who can translate complex data, policy, and solutions into compelling human stories. To address this, journalists from across the state gathered in Chennai on 28–29 January for the "Media for Climate Action" workshop, organised by the UNEP-led Cool Coalition, Auroville Consulting, Asar Social Impact Advisors, and Poovulagin Nanbargal.

The workshop moved beyond traditional lecturing, focusing on how journalists can transform technical sessions into actionable reporting. Mr Rahul Nadh, IAS, Director of Environment and Climate Change, opening the event alongside Mr G. Sundarrajan of the Tamil Nadu Governing Council on Climate Change, emphasised that climate change is a humanitarian and social justice issue.

For the participating journalists, the sessions provided a new lens for reporting. Rather than covering heat as an isolated weather event, they explored how urban planning, transport, and energy use are interconnected. Led by Dr Sudhir Chella Rajan, Professor at Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Ms. Priyanka Kumar, Researcher from Auroville Consulting, the sessions helped reporters understand that a city’s carbon footprint is directly tied to how its citizens move and stay cool. 

During a panel moderated by Dr Pradheeps M., Consultant, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, experts including Ms Smrithi Prasad, Manager of Urban Planning - India, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group; Mr Hari Subbish Kumar S, Head, State Climate Action (Tamil Nadu & Kerala), Asar Social Impact Advisors; and Mr. Pavithran R., Associate Transport Systems and Electric Mobility, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy; discussed how media coverage helps the public understand that local infrastructure decisions—from bus routes to building materials—shape their daily quality of life.

On the second day, the workshop shifted from discussions to experience. Participants visited Kamarajar Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Ambattur, providing a firsthand look at how state policies translate into tangible relief through the Green School initiative with available and sanctioned budgets and standard operating procedures, including Passive Cooling Solutions for Green Schools in Tamil Nadu and The Impact of Cool Roof Intervention – Mainstreaming Passive Cooling in Green Schools to accelerate implementation. Guided by Mr. Deena Hari Krishna, Project Manager and Mr. Parthiban, Urban Planner; both from Auroville Consulting; journalists observed passive cooling measures already being put in place, such as high-reflectivity "cool roof" paint and energy-efficient brushless direct current fans (BLDC Fans). Seeing these improvements, which are slated for 300 more schools, allowed reporters to visualize "resilience" as a cooler environment for students.

Addressing the 13 heatwave days recorded in 2024 and the state’s declaration of heat as a disaster, Ms Minni Sastry, Advisor - Extreme Heat & Sustainable Cooling, UNEP, presented a two-year Urban Heat Island assessment of Chennai. Identifying 20 hotspots, she emphasized that while global heat methodologies exist, data must be tailored to local geography and urbanization to guide policy. This provided journalists with the evidence-based tools needed to report on specific climate risks. 

A panel moderated by Dr Priya Pillai, Chief of Strategic Alliance, Asar Social Impact Advisors, further connected these dots. Mr Nigazh Ayyakkannu Indirani, Associate, Poovulagin Nanbargal, highlighted the vulnerability of outdoor workers, while Mr Rajkumar Balasubramaniyan, Technical Director, Integrative Design Solutions, and Ms Vinita Rodrigues from cBalance. demonstrated how climate-responsive building design and passive cooling can simultaneously reduce heat exposure and energy emissions. This session underscored that heat risks are often a result of construction practices, requiring solutions that prioritize both indoor comfort and decarbonisation.

Through the two days, veteran editors including Mr Prem Shanker, Senior Executive Editor, Puthiya Thalaimurai; Ms Kavitha Muralidharan, Independant Journalist, Poovulagin Nanbargal; and Mr Kunal Shankar, Deputy Business Editor, The Hindu; encouraged participants to look beyond immediate events. They discussed how a water shortage or a heat-related illness is often a climate story in disguise, linked to policy gaps and changing patterns.

Participants left the workshop, inspired and keen to shift from reactive reporting to proactive storytelling. By equipping journalists with technical depth and on-ground examples, the initiative ensures that the discourse on climate action in Tamil Nadu will be more informed, equitable, and urgent, moving the needle from awareness to public accountability.