Page 68 - Shelter, October 2024

CASE STUDY

YOUTH-DRIVEN CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: GRASSROOTS

LESSONS FROM MAHARASHTRA

India has experienced an increase in disaster risk reduction
ANUSHKA GOSWAMI in the intensity and frequency of reveals enormous potential
DULARI PARMAR extreme weather events in recent that needs to be harnessed for
years. Maharashtra is not only strengthening resilience. Efforts
the economic hub of India, but are required to mainstream the
it also hosts megacities such active engagement of youth in
as Mumbai with the highest bringing together communities
population density in India. to strengthen climate resilience
Maharashtra’s vulnerability at the local scale. This helps
to climate-induced disasters build in the communities a sense
compels a detailed analysis for of ownership, empowerment, and
a nuanced understanding of resilience in developing disaster
its varied geography, socio- management operations.
economic landscape, and the
Anushka Goswami, Research Analyst escalating effects of climate 1. Introduction: Disaster
Affiliation: Council on Energy Environment change. Effective disaster and Climate
and Water (CEEW) Intersection
anushka.goswami@ceew.in management hinges on the active
participation of the communities,
Dulari Parmar Consultant Affiliation: Youth 1.1 Overview of Climate
For Unity And Voluntary Action (Yuva) with the youth emerging as and Disaster Nexus
Dulari.p@Yuvaindia.org pivotal players.
The Intergovernmental
Srishti Mandal, Intern Affiliation: Council We present two case studies from
on Energy Environment and Water (CEEW) the coastal cities of Mumbai and Panel on Climate Change
srishtimandal45@gmail.com (IPCC) characterises “climate
Thane, where targeted efforts of
Shravan Prabhu, Programme Associate, technological innovation and change” as a “significant
Affiliation: Council on Energy Environment alteration in climate conditions,
and Water (CEEW), community engagement have identifiable through shifts in
shravan.prabhu@ceew.in been successfully implemented average climate properties or their
for disaster risk reduction.
Vishwas Chitale, Senior Programme Lead variability, and that endures over
Affiliation: Council on Energy Environment The case studies of the Thane an extended duration, generally
and Water (CEEW) Heat Action Plan and YUVA’s spanning several decades
vishwas.chitale@ceew.in intervention in Community or more.” (UNDRR 2012).
Roshni Nuggehalli, Executive Director, Climate Action Planning Disasters such as cyclones,
Affiliation: Youth for Unity and Voluntary highlights effective disaster floods, droughts, landslides,
Action (YUVA), management through a
roshni.n@yuvaindia.org hailstorms, lightning, forest
combination of technology fires, heat waves, cold waves,
Shahenshah Ansari, Sr. Affiliation: Youth and community engagement.
for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) Active participation of youth glacial lake outburst floods
shahenshah.a@yuvaindia.org (GLOFs), local lake outburst

66 HUDCO-HSMI Publication