SEEDS India

19/06/2026

Safe, supportive plans to mitigate heat stress

In many parts of India, the scorching days of May and June are giving way to something even more perilous - humid heat. Even though you are drenched in sweat, there seems to be no relief.

As we experience 'wet-bulb temperatures' that combine both heat and humidity, mitigating the stress from this can be built through small but essential actions. A shaded place to wait. Access to drinking water. Healthcare facilities are prepared to respond when the heat stress episode becomes a health risk.

Dr Kamini Mehra from Bhopal highlights how public institutions are adapting to extreme and strengthening systems that support community well-being.

As climate challenges become more frequent, preparedness is not just about responding to emergencies; it is about creating safer, more supportive environments for everyday life.



National Disaster Management Authority, India National Institute of Disaster Management Sanghamitra Misra Ranita Sarma

15/06/2026

Is the heat 'feeling' dangerous?

When we think about heat, we often think about rising temperatures. But heat is also about where we live, the roof above our heads, the shade available on our streets, the water we can access, and the spaces we turn to for relief during the hottest parts of the day.

As conversations around heat grow, terms like wet-bulb temperature are helping us understand why some days feel far more dangerous than what the thermometer suggests. It is a reminder that heat is not experienced in the same way by everyone.

For many communities, adapting to heat is not a future concern; it is already part of everyday life.

Across India, people have long relied on locally developed practices to stay cool, from climate-responsive homes and shaded public spaces to water-sensitive landscapes and community knowledge passed down through generations.

As temperatures continue to rise, there is much to learn from these approaches. Strengthening them through collective action and locally relevant interventions can help create neighbourhoods that are not only cooler, but also healthier, safer, and more resilient.



National Disaster Management Authority, India National Institute of Disaster Management Ranita Sarma

12/06/2026

From awareness to action

In the remote wetlands of the Sundarbans, awareness is moving to action. Last week, during , communities supported by the SBI Foundation Aranya came out in large numbers to encourage others to join the movement to save the sacred mangroves

Students, educators, and community members across South 24 Parganas came together through awareness rallies, community engagement activities, and plantation drives to promote environmental stewardship and climate resilience.

Carrying messages on tree plantation, mangrove conservation, and collective responsibility, participants highlighted the critical role that healthy ecosystems play in safeguarding communities from environmental risks.

In the Sundarbans, protecting the environment is closely linked to protecting lives and livelihoods. These activities brought together schools and communities around a shared commitment to protecting the natural systems that sustain life in the Sundarbans. From awareness to action, the initiative reinforced the importance of collective efforts in building a more resilient future.



National Disaster Management Authority, India National Institute of Disaster ManagementSanghamitra Misra Ranita Sarma

09/06/2026

The powerful voice from within

A question we keep coming back to: what does it mean to build at scale while still reaching the family in the last row of the last lane?

With Microsoft's support, SEEDS India's initiative has developed models that map disaster risk at the level of individual rooftops. From pilots in Puri to advisories in Bihar, the data is sharper than ever.

But data alone does not protect a family.

That's why, alongside , we have been on the airwaves on community radio, in Hindi, speaking directly to Delhi's most -vulnerable communities about what to do before the next weather event hits.

Four episodes. Four conversations that sit at the heart of what we do. In collaboration with the media department at Christ University, Bengaluru, we developed this four-part series focused on heat risk and preparedness, air pollution, floods, the giver and taker of life - the River Yamuna in Delhi and expert insights.

Through this, we have translated building-level risk data into simple, actionable guidance in a format that reaches communities that have limited access to digital information.

The first episode features Prof. Prachi Pinglay in conversation with women migrants in Shrinivaspuri, New Delhi, about how extreme heat and pollution shape their everyday lives, health, work, and income. Resilience is not a dashboard. Here is the conversation for the first 🎙️ Episode - Heat and flooding in Delhi: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7iTVq5E2SU0S7wyS0U6E0q

Stay tuned in for voices from the community!



Microsoft for Nonprofits National Disaster Management Authority, India National Institute of Disaster Management Meghna Chawla

08/06/2026

Resilient and adaptable shelters

As climate risks continue to intensify, the need for shelter solutions that are adaptable, sustainable, and responsive to local contexts has never been greater.

The collaboration between SEEDS India and Better Shelter has long explored how emergency shelters can evolve beyond temporary structures. Across different geographies and disaster contexts, communities, field teams, and local knowledge played an important role in shaping shelter solutions that respond to climate, culture, and everyday realities.

From local material integration and community-led adaptations to research on thermal comfort, durability, and ventilation, each implementation generated valuable insights. These experiences demonstrated that resilience is strengthened when innovation works alongside local knowledge and environmental understanding.

On June 5, 2026, theme - Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future - reminded us that meaningful climate action is rooted in adaptation. As communities across the world face increasing climate risks, solutions must respond not only to environmental challenges but also to the people and places they are designed to support.

As we reflect on the importance of learning from local knowledge, environmental contexts, and lived experiences to create more climate-responsive futures, read SEED’s Zoya Kidwai's blog to know morehttps://www.seedsindia.org/blogs/inspired-by-nature-building-homes-resilience-and-a-climate-secure-future




National Disaster Management Authority, India National Institute of Disaster Management Vinod Sharma Sanghamitra Misra Ranita Sarma

06/06/2026

Where it's environment day every day

With the generous support of the SBI Foundation in the Sundarbans, West Bengal, plantation activities, strengthening of vulnerable streambanks, climate literacy outreach, waterbody rejuvenation, and disaster risk reduction training are protecting both the and climate-vulnerable communities.

On , we salute the active participation of community members in site preparation, planting, and initial maintenance. This participatory approach has strengthened community ownership of all the activities planned under this intervention and is contributing to the long-term sustainability of efforts to save the sacred wetlands.

The communities here are “Inspired by Nature, For Climate, For Our Future" and are the true shapers of - acting with urgency every day against climate change.

https://studio.youtube.com/video/c9GuiF46kNI




National Disaster Management Authority, India National Institute of Disaster Management Vinod Sharma Sanghamitra Misra Ranita Sarma

05/06/2026

Humanity's first line of defence

Forests, wetlands, oceans and are key to building . SEEDS' Head Centre of Excellence -NbS SSanghamitra Misrareflects on the urgency of learning from nature and taking urgent action to protect the climate and future generations.

This World Environment Day theme 2026 - Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future - has long been the foundation of our work. This year's campaign reminds us that is not separate from human life. Forests, rivers, oceans, glaciers, soil, animals, plants, and clean air are all essential for survival.

calls on people to act immediately against climate change.

Read more about how is our only defence https://www.seedsindia.org/blogs/from-the-desk-of-the-coe-nbs-environment-is-our-first-line-of-defence/



SSBI FoundationNNational Disaster Management Authority, IndiaNNational Institute of Disaster ManagementRRanita Sarma

As we mark World Environment Day, themed “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” I reflect on a simple but powerful lesson from working with disaster-prone communities across India: nature is often the first responder, the strongest shield, and yet one of the most overlooked partners ...

02/06/2026

Throwback to 2022

When Brad Smith President of Microsoft and Trevor Noah, visited East Delhi to see how communities are turning technology into resilience.

They listened as a Delhi school student shared stories of heat, floods, and local innovations to beat the climate crisis, a reminder that the most powerful ideas often come from those living on the frontlines.

The visit was part of the AI for Humanitarian Action initiative that SEEDS India runs with Microsoft’s support. At its core is Sunny Lives, an AI model that uses openly available satellite imagery to assess disaster risk at the level of individual housing clusters.

The model enables local volunteers to alert families in harm’s way, helping them understand how their homes might be affected and what actions can reduce losses.

During the visit, Brad and senior Microsoft leaders met the SEEDS team, community members, and local officials to explore ways to scale the impact. They also gifted the school a weather lab - a small but powerful step in building climate literacy among children.

The fight against the climate crisis will be led by communities, powered by knowledge, and guided by innovation.


Microsoft AI Microsoft for Nonprofits Meghna Chawla

02/06/2026

Heat Action - for and by communities

As temperatures rise in urban settlements, streets and lanes without shade become unbearable for women and children who are out and about attending to chores and playing. For the elderly who keep a watch and for outdoor vendors.

On , we share with you how SEEDS has been working in communities with negligible green cover. We have explored and co-created locally led street-shading interventions to reduce thermal discomfort in shared public spaces.

Beginning in Kishan Kunj, East Delhi (2023), and extending to Shahbad Dairy in North West Delhi, Bhopal, and Bhubaneswar this year, these community-driven interventions reflect how can emerge through creativity, participation, and collective care.

As become more frequent and prolonged, residents transform reused clothes and fabric waste into shaded cooling corridors, creating comfort spots. Using reused fabric, nets, and locally available materials, shaded streets and gathering spaces are being collectively built to reduce heat exposure and improve thermal comfort during peak summer months.






National Disaster Management Authority, India National Institute of Disaster Management Sanghamitra Misra Ranita Sarma