Mumbai Climate Week Uses Film to Highlight Heat Inequality
Event summary
- Mumbai Climate Week (MCW), India’s first citizen-led climate conference, will be held February 17-19, 2026, at the Jio World Convention Centre.
- MCW screened the short film 'It's Only 47°C,' produced by Naseeruddin Shah and Civic Studios, to raise awareness of extreme heat and climate inequality.
- The film, starring Sharib Hashmi, focuses on the experiences of a traffic constable and highlights the unequal burden of extreme heat.
- Civic Studios has launched a GBP 1 million (INR 10 crore) Climate Media Fund to integrate climate messaging into mainstream media.
- MCW aims to connect policy with citizen action and drive scalable climate solutions.
The big picture
The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme heat events in urban areas like Mumbai are creating a growing need for climate resilience strategies and public awareness campaigns. MCW’s focus on citizen-led solutions and the use of culturally relevant storytelling, as exemplified by the 'It's Only 47°C' film, represents a shift towards more participatory and impactful climate action. This approach contrasts with traditional top-down policy interventions and aims to engage communities directly affected by climate change.
What we're watching
- Media Impact
- The effectiveness of 'It's Only 47°C' and Civic Studios’ broader Climate Media Ecosystem in shifting public perception and driving behavioral change will be a key indicator of success for climate advocacy campaigns.
- Funding Scale
- Whether Civic Studios’ GBP 1 million Climate Media Fund can attract further investment and expand its reach into mainstream film and television production remains to be seen.
- Policy Alignment
- The extent to which MCW’s citizen-led approach can influence Indian climate policy and secure tangible commitments from government and industry will determine its long-term impact.
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