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More than 40 Maharashtra youth gather in Mumbai to shape India’s climate priorities, contributing solutions on floods, heat waves, and pollution to the nation’s COP30 statement
For participants, the session was a rare platform to articulate solutions they feel are often overlooked. (News18)
As many as 45 young people from across Maharashtra gathered in Mumbai with a shared mission—to shape India’s climate priorities and pledge collective action for a sustainable, resilient future. Their voices, sharpened by lived experiences of floods, heat waves and urban pollution, will soon travel far beyond Mumbai, finding place in India’s official youth statement at the COP30 summit in Brazil this November.
The gathering was part of the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) India 2025 City Consultation Series, an initiative by the Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) in partnership with UNICEF India and the Sattvic Soul Foundation (SSF).
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Hosted at AIILSG Mumbai with support from Agro Rangers, NSS, Pratyek’s NineIsMine platform, Mazi Vasundhara, and the Maharashtra State Climate Action Cell, the consultation marked a milestone: for the first time, India has begun a coordinated nationwide series of youth-led dialogues feeding into global climate negotiations.
Spread across key cities—Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Patna and Guwahati—these consultations aim to ensure that India’s diverse climate challenges are represented. In Mumbai, the discussion centred on local crises such as coastal erosion, water stress, heat islands, and urban flooding. Through workshops and knowledge sessions, participants brainstormed practical, policy-linked solutions aligned with the Maharashtra State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC).
“This was not just about listening, but co-creating,” explained facilitator Pakhi Das, who guided the day’s dialogue. “Our consultations place youth and children at the heart of climate action. We focus on inclusion, lived realities, and big national priorities like just transitions, nature-based solutions, and youth empowerment. These are not abstract ideas—they are rooted in what young people are experiencing daily.”
For participants, the session was a rare platform to articulate solutions they feel are often overlooked. Shreya Sahe, an intern with Mazi Vasundhara, highlighted Mumbai’s urgency. “The city is growing rapidly but at a huge ecological cost. We must prioritise sustainable mobility, biodiversity protection, and efficient waste management. Circular economy practices and climate-resilient planning can help us fight air pollution, heat waves, and land degradation. If we don’t act now, the city’s most vulnerable—children and the poor—will suffer the most,” she said.
The consultation also connected youth aspirations with ongoing government frameworks. Yusuf Kabir, WASH-CCES Specialist and DRR Focal Point with UNICEF Maharashtra, underlined the role of the state’s initiatives in fostering youth-led action. “The Government of Maharashtra’s State Climate Action Plan and programs like Mazi Vasundhara have created fertile ground. Youth platforms such as NSS, Green Clubs, and Maharashtra Youth for Climate Action can now incubate innovations—like Green Campus Labs—while advancing climate literacy and green skills. By integrating tools like the Children’s Climate Risk Index into social planning, Maharashtra can ensure its climate response is both evidence-based and child-sensitive,” he said.
What makes this series unique is its bottom-up approach. Young people are not just raising awareness but also shaping concrete policy recommendations that will contribute to the Indian National Youth Statement. This statement will form part of the Global Youth Statement—a consolidated youth declaration under YOUNGO, the official youth constituency of the UNFCCC.
For the 45 participants, the consultation was more than a dialogue. It was a reminder that climate change is not a distant threat but an immediate challenge altering lives today. From rising water levels that threaten Mumbai’s coasts to worsening air quality choking urban lungs, they see climate action as urgent and personal.
As the day concluded, the energy in the room was clear: young Indians are no longer passive stakeholders. They are demanding a seat at the table and offering tangible solutions. Their message from Mumbai was simple yet powerful—India’s future must be climate-resilient, and youth will lead the way.
About the Author
Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @mayuganapa…Read More
Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @mayuganapa… Read More
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