SDG 13: Climate Action | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change | Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports | UNICEF India
Ahead of the Mumbai Climate Week scheduled for February 2026, UNICEF India and YuWaah (Generation Unlimited) have announced a strategic roadmap to integrate children and youth voices into India’s urban climate discourse. The upcoming week-long event aims to provide a platform for young advocates to engage with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and urban local bodies to address the disproportionate impact of climate change on Mumbai’s vulnerable populations. By centering youth perspectives, the initiative seeks to transition young people from being passive observers to active co-designers of urban resilience and climate adaptation frameworks.
Strategic Objectives and Planned Initiatives
Drafting the Youth Climate Manifesto: A cornerstone of the upcoming event will be the finalization of a manifesto by young activists, outlining demands for heatwave protection protocols and expanded green cover in high-density urban wards.
Launch of Green Skills Partnership: YuWaah, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, plans to unveil a vocational training framework focused on “green jobs” such as renewable energy maintenance and circular economy entrepreneurship.
State-wide ‘Climate Champions’ Network: The summit will mark the commencement of a program to empower 10,000 young leaders across Maharashtra to drive community-level climate resilience and data collection.
Urban Resilience Co-Design Lab: Plans are underway to propose a collaborative lab where youth and municipal authorities can test technology-driven solutions for flood monitoring and emergency response.
What is ‘YuWaah’ and how does it support climate action among Indian youth? YuWaah, the Indian chapter of Generation Unlimited, is a multi-stakeholder platform launched by UNICEF and supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to prepare India’s youth for productive work and active citizenship. In the context of climate action, YuWaah acts as a bridge between young innovators and the resources they need—such as mentorship, funding, and policy access—to scale environmental solutions. By focusing on “Green Skills,” YuWaah ensures that the transition to a sustainable economy also addresses youth unemployment, creating a workforce that is both climate-conscious and economically empowered.
Policy Relevance
The upcoming initiatives align with India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) by localizing adaptation strategies and ensuring that the most vulnerable demographic—children—is represented in future-proof governance.
Strategic Impact:
Mainstreaming Youth Participation: The event aims to institutionalize youth consultations within the Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP), ensuring policies are intergenerationally fair.
Closing the Skill Gap: The focus on green vocational training supports the National Skill Development Mission, preparing the workforce for a decarbonized industrial landscape.
Data-Driven Urban Planning: Training youth in local climate monitoring will provide the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with granular, ward-level data for more precise disaster management.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change institutionalize a ‘National Youth Climate Advisory Council’ to ensure that all major infrastructure projects are vetted for their long-term impact on future generations?
Follow the full news here: Mumbai Climate Week 2026: UNICEF India and YuWaah to centre Children and Youth Voices