Nearly 40 officials from 43 Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) cities across Maharashtra attended a workshop in Mumbai on Thursday, focusing on climate action planning, finance, and clean air initiatives. Organized by the Government of Maharashtra’s Department of Environment and Climate Change in collaboration with WRI India, the day-long event was part of the ongoing ‘Climate Forward Maharashtra’ campaign, launched in 2023.The workshop featured expert talks and hands-on exercises where officials engaged in data-driven decision-making for climate action plans. They also learned to identify sources of air pollution within city limits and discussed common challenges in implementing measures to improve air quality. Participants were introduced to tools for creating climate budgets and explored non-municipal financing options for climate-positive projects in their respective cities.
Sujata Saunik, IAS, Chief Secretary of the Government of Maharashtra, urged representatives from the 43 cities to develop intervention schemes for effective air-quality management. “Maharashtra has been a leader in crafting and implementing climate and heat action plans. We must approach air quality with the same rigor—tracking pollution sources, mapping them, and implementing evidence-based clean air action plans. This is the time to learn from global best practices and take urgent positive action.” Pravin Darade, IAS, Maharashtra’s Environment Secretary, emphasized the importance of creating actionable and measurable plans with clear milestones. “We have issued directives for setting up city and district climate action cells to prepare plans that align with India’s net-zero goals by 2070,” he said.
In 2022, Mumbai became the first city to launch a climate action plan and subsequently developed Asia’s first city-level climate budget. These initiatives are setting the stage for innovative planning and financing of climate action projects. Other cities like Nashik, Solapur, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have also initiated Climate Action Plans and are working on projects aligned with these goals. Claudia Lopez, former Mayor of Bogotá, Harvard 2024 ALI Fellow, and Advisor to WRI, led a session on implementing low-emission zones within Indian cities to improve air quality. She highlighted the need to view urbanization as an industry with key transformation technologies: land-use planning, land value capture, multimodal integration, and human capital. "Alongside education and awareness, these elements are crucial for sustainable economic development," she said.
Madhav Pai, CEO of WRI India, reinforced the state’s commitment to balancing economic growth with climate action. "Maharashtra aspires to strong economic growth while also pursuing effective climate action. At WRI India, we support the Net Zero goals and believe the transition must be nature-positive, just, and inclusive for all," he stated.