Sign this petition if you want to support the Maharashtra Environmental Manifesto made by citizens before 2024 Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections !

Climate change is an escalating global crisis, and its impacts are particularly severe in countries like India. Rising temperatures, erratic monsoons, prolonged droughts, and extreme weather events are already threatening the livelihood of millions. India’s agriculture, water resources, public health, and infrastructure are under increasing strain, with rural communities facing the brunt of these changes. The country's dependence on monsoon-driven agriculture makes it highly vulnerable to climate variations, leading to food insecurity, economic losses, and mass migration. As a rapidly developing country, India is at the crossroads of mitigating climate risks while ensuring sustainable development.

Maharashtra, one of India’s largest and most industrialized states, is experiencing the profound impacts of climate change on multiple fronts. Agriculture, which sustains a large part of the population, is being affected by irregular rainfall, droughts, and shifting seasons, reducing crop yields and pushing farmers into debt. Public health is at risk, with rising temperatures increasing the spread of diseases, heat stress, and water scarcity. Socially, the burden of climate change is unevenly distributed, with marginalized communities, particularly in rural areas, bearing the harshest consequences. Biodiversity is also under threat, as changing climate patterns disrupt ecosystems and lead to the loss of native species, destabilizing the environmental balance.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has highlighted Maharashtra as a climate hotspot, emphasizing the urgent need for adaptation and mitigation strategies. It warns of further temperature increases, more frequent droughts, rising sea levels, and more intense cyclones in the coming decades. These challenges pose severe risks to Maharashtra’s economy, food security, and overall development. Given the magnitude of these challenges, it is clear that a manifesto for environmental protection in Maharashtra is critical. Current policies are insufficient to address the scale of the crisis, and without stronger reforms and comprehensive environmental governance, the state risks irreversible damage. The need for a focused manifesto is essential to drive urgent policy changes and ensure a sustainable future for Maharashtra’s people and ecosystems.

We present this manifesto to the candidates contesting in the upcoming Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections, which will take place in November 2024. By advocating for the inclusion of these demands in their political platforms/manifestos, we hope to influence meaningful policy reforms.

This manifesto has been created by the contribution of many experts and activists working in different fields. It includes demands about a variety of fields/topics, which are as follows :

• Heat and air-conditioning
• Air pollution
• Ocean, coasts and fishery
• Wetlands
• Lakes and Ponds
• Rivers
• Agriculture
• Trees
• Eco-sensitive zones (including forests and hills)
• Walking
• Cycling
• Motorised transport
• Democracy and governance
• Projects
• Energy and fossil fuels
• Finance
• Concrete, construction and architecture
• Waste management and plastic
• Noise pollution
• Groundwater
• School education

Read the whole manifesto here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cl6ApvBPGVy9SN0fqndUNlsktoCIpi06xKYXrIqQSv8/edit?usp=sharing

मराठीमध्ये जाहीरनामा वाचण्यासाठी लिंक - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iMbJgwclOGyagOGAp3RJle1qi3a7x4LIn0Qgnodjkak/edit?usp=sharing

For any further enquiries, please reach out to us via e-mail at fridaysforfuturemumbai@gmail.com. Together, we can ensure that Maharashtra's environmental future is one that benefits all.

Connect with us on social media - Facebook​ Twitter/X​ Instagram​ Telegram​ Youtube