Maharashtra : Green School Scheme For Cooling Solutions In School Premises

Mumbai : As Mumbai and several parts of Maharashtra grapple with intense heat and rising humidity, the state government has stepped up a climate resilience initiative in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Officials said the environment department has asked the Urban Development Department (UDD-I) to amend the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) by incorporating passive cooling measures. It has also directed the education department to introduce a green school scheme promoting passive cooling solutions in school premises. 

The development comes after several months of signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in August 2025 between UNEP and Maharashtra’s Department of Environment and Climate Change to address the triple planetary crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. The partnership aims to transform Maharashtra into a resilient, future-ready and sustainable state through scientific planning and climate-sensitive urban development. 

Officials said that the environment department’s initiative is a part of UNEP’s “BeCool Programme”, which focuses on reducing urban heat through passive cooling measures, heat resilient and nature based solutions at the state, district, region, city, neighbourhood and building level.

A senior official said that a proposal has been prepared for reducing the urban heat by adopting climate-smart construction practices and using the world’s best technology in the construction. “The environment department is expected to submit their proposal to the UDD-I for making changes in the UDCPR and building code by incorporating clauses on passive cooling measures at building and site level. Under this, design and material specifications recommendations are suggested,” the senior official said. 

The urgency of the Becool Programme has become more visible amid the ongoing scorching heat conditions in Mumbai and other cities, where rising temperatures, heat-retaining concrete infrastructure and shrinking green cover are worsening the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. 

Under the programme, the UNEP has begun work with multiple departments and urban agencies to redesign cities, buildings and public infrastructure for cooler and healthier living conditions. 

Officials said that the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) is supporting cities participating in the Beat the Heat programme and is being guided by the UNEP in preparing UHI effect maps to identify heat hotspots for targeted interventions. The SDMA is also facilitating access to funds for mapping exercises and demonstration pilot projects. “With the SDMA, the environment department has initiated the preparation of UHI effect mapping with 30 cities signed up for UNEP’s Beat the Heat program,” the officials said.

According to the officials, three cities — Kalyan-Dombivli, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur — have been identified as “deep dive” cities for heat-mitigation planning based on heat vulnerability assessments by the SDMA. 

Officials said that the Public Works Department (PWD) has also been asked to make Standard Operating Rates (SOR) and material specifications to support passive cooling in public buildings. 

With temperatures soaring across Mumbai and other cities, the Maharashtra’s Department of Environment and Climate Change-UNEP collaboration is being viewed as one of the state’s most comprehensive efforts yet to build climate-resilient cities capable of withstanding future heat extremes, the officials claimed.