How can India prepare its cities for severe heatwaves?

The way we build our cities turns them into unbearable heat-trapping greenhouses — a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. As global temperatures rise, some cities could become unliveable unless we learn how to cool them sustainably. Mashable's How to Change a City series dedicates three of its episodes to this issue, exploring how cities can sustainably combat the urban heat island effect.

Climate change has ensured that heatwaves in India(opens in a new tab) grow longer and more severe. In April, much of the country experienced consistently high temperatures earlier than usual(opens in a new tab), and many areas that tend to rely on the seasonal rain for heat relief instead faced dry conditions.

As temperatures in India soar once again, Mashable spoke to locals and experts to find out what city administrations are doing to protect their citizens from extreme heat.