YUVA partners with marginalised populations in cities who often live in climate-sensitive regions and are exposed to the brunt of climate change at their places of residence and work. We attempt to understand the effects of climate change through the perspective of the urban poor. Through their experience, we carve out local adaptations, strengthen their ability to respond and devise inclusive policy guidelines.
This work is spread across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Vasai-Virar.
Climate change is as much an environmental crisis as it is a social crisis since it disproportionately affects the marginalised populations across the globe. YUVA undertook a rigorous mapping activity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to understand which types of built environments (urban informal settlements, urban villages or gaothans, and other built structures) were most vulnerable to six climate hazards – floods, landslides, heat, detereorating air quality, sea level rise and increasing tidal action. This helped us prioritised our work in the most affected informal settlements in the region.
To view the maps, click here.
YUVA aims to enable urban poor groups adapt to their climate vulnerabilities and co-create climate resilience. Encouraging their participation and emphasising collective ownership , we undertake community-led vulnerability assessment at the basti level, along with loss and damage estimation, in order to determine adaptations that reflect local needs and knowledge.
To read more about the process and outcomes of the vulnerability assessment at Ambujwadi, click here.
We aim to initiate a transformative climate justice coalition, with a people-led movement and advocacy for climate-just city planning and policy. Our ecosystem-approach is guiding the formation of coalitions residing and working in climate sensitive regions.
Read our recent insights on how rampant development in the Vasai-Virar Municipal corporation is dispacing people, and increasing the vulnerability of the region to future climate impacts.
YUVA’s extensive work in urban informal settlements pointed towards the lack of usable open space, for children and adults. This need was combined with a climate-oriented resolution to mitigate the risks of flooding and heat-island effect in the settlements, through greening of open spaces. In one R&R colony and one informal settlement in Mumbai, YUVA is partnering with the local community to design a green space that meets their social needs and also addresses emerging ecological issues.
It is estimated that 70 per cent rural households in India still depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihood and 82 per cent farmers are small and marginal farmers. In the Vidarbha region, where YUVA’s agricultural interventions are focused, given the dire conditions in place it is critical to support sustainable and innovative farming and non-farming practices, and watershed management to strengthen farmer livelihoods, reduce risks and enhance incomes. By encouraging organic farming practices, and the growth of alternative livelihoods, farmers have been able to lead dignified lives.
YUVA’s work with urban and rural communities on natural resource management has a long trajectory. Our interventions have been designed to sustain the human and natural environments, and have evolved basis the climate justice needs.
Visit our Urban Resource Centre, and check our publication YUVA’s Journey Over the Years, to know more.
Keen to work with us? Head to the Opportunities tab to check open vacancies/apply for internships
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