The Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority and the District Disaster Management Authorities has organized several workshops and seminars in various districts of Maharashtra to inform, sensitize and orient the government and community stakeholders. The major workshops and seminars conducted are as follows
International Workshop on Heatwaves 2025
The International Workshop on Heatwaves 2025, organized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), focused on advancing city-level Heat Action Plans (HAPs) to enhance resilience against extreme heat. Themed “Advancing City-Level Heat Action Plans: Multi-Sectoral Adaptation for Resilient Communities,” the event addressed the increasing severity of heatwaves in India due to climate change, urbanization, and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect.
The workshop was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra. In her address, she emphasized the urgent need for developing multi-sectoral adaptation strategies, strengthening early warning systems, and enhancing inter-agency coordination to mitigate extreme heat risks. She highlighted the critical role of Maharashtra in implementing data-driven, science-based policies to protect vulnerable communities, particularly the urban poor, elderly, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions.
The workshop brought together over 250 delegates, including government officials, urban planners, researchers, and representatives from international organizations such as UNDRR, UNEP, UC Berkeley, Harvard University, and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, who engaged in discussions on heat-health adaptation, infrastructure resilience, and financing mechanisms for Heat Action Plans. The sessions explored policy standardization, content collation, and urban cooling measures, with a particular focus on pilot HAP implementations in select cities and collaboration with institutions such as CEEW, NRDC, and SFC. A dedicated session on future collaborations highlighted key action points, including the UNEP-NDMA partnership on the Cool Redesign Project, research collaboration with UC Berkeley, and the formation of an inter-agency task force for enhanced heat forecasting. The workshop concluded with a strong commitment to integrating global best practices into India’s Heat Action Plans to ensure sustainable, long-term resilience against extreme heat events. Maharashtra’s leadership in policy-driven, science-backed heat adaptation strategies was underscored as a model for other states to follow, reinforcing the state’s dedication to disaster preparedness and climate resilience.