Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo
Vice President of Guyana,
Government of Guyana

Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s life, from humble origins, reflects the successes of passions pursued – great international inroads for Guyana and a unity of the peoples and potential of his country, Guyana.

Armed with a Master's in Economics from the Peoples Friendship University of Russia, in May 1995, Dr. Jagdeo was named Guyana’s substantive Finance Minister. Dr. Jagdeo went on to becoming President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, on 11 August 1999.

During his tenure as President (1999-2011) major economic and social reforms were undertaken in Guyana. By the time he relinquished office as President, Guyana was one of the fastest growing economies in South America and the Caribbean, recording several years of consecutive growth even through the global financial crisis of 2007-2008.

Dr. Jagdeo was selected as one of the young global leaders by the World Economic Forum in 2005. Time Magazine had named President Jagdeo a 2008 ‘Hero of the Environment. The United Nations, in 2010, declared President Jagdeo, as one of its ‘Champions of the Earth Awardees’.

He currently serves as Vice President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.           

Mr. Bhupender Yadav
Minister,
Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt of India

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Dr. Anjali Acharya
Managing Director,
The Nature Conservancy

Dr. Anjali Acharya is the Managing Director of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) India. She leads a dynamic team advancing science-based, partnership-driven solutions in freshwater conservation, landscape restoration, regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, and climate adaptation. TNC India aligns closely with national and state priorities to deliver scalable conservation and climate impact. Previously, Dr. Acharya spent over 25 years at the World Bank, where she held senior leadership roles across Latin America, East Asia, and South Asia. With field assignments in Hanoi, Singapore, and New Delhi, she led analytical work, shaped strategic partnerships, and contributed to major investment and policy lending operations. She holds a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University, a master’s degree from Duke University, and a bachelor’s (honors) degree from St. Stephen’s College.

Mr. Vinit Adarkar
Vice-President and Head - Interior and Exterior Modules,
Mercedes Benz Research and Development India Pvt. Limited

Vinit holds a Graduate Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Pune and a Post Graduate Diploma in Operations Management from Symbiosis International University, complemented by certifications in Leading with Data Analytics and Lean & Agile methodologies. His 16+ years at MBRDI have seen him in various leadership roles across Mercedes-Benz Cars, Vans, and AMG, specializing in Seating, Interior, Exterior, Body-in-White, Tolerance Management, and Full Vehicle Integration. Currently, he oversees multiple Centers of Competence with global functional release responsibilities for Interior and Exterior commodities, CAE, Thermal Energy Management, Thermal Comfort, and the Design (Styling) studio. He also serves as the Site/Location Head for MBRDI in Pune. 

Mr. Naveen Ahlawat
President and Head–Sustainability & Decarbonization,
Jindal Steel Limited

Naveen currently leads the Decarbonisation & Sustainabilityvertical at Jindal Steel Limited, overseeing key initiatives such as Green Steel, Green Hydrogen, and CCUS across the group. With over 13 years of experience in various sectors, including the manufacturing of specialty chemicals, coal gasification projects,co-products marketing, and integrated steel plants (both brown and greenfield), Naveen has built a distinguished career in the industry. Beginning as a process engineer at Jubilant Organosys Limited, he went on to serve as Manager of Operations in the Petrochemical division at Reliance IndustriesLimited. Notably, Naveen was part of the executive team that played a pivotal role in establishing the world's first coal gasification-based DRI plant in Angul, Odisha.

Naveen also holds key positions in global energy andsustainability initiatives, serving as a member of the UN Council of Engineers for Energy Transition (CEET), an advisory boardmember of ET Now's Supply Chain Management Council, and as a representative on the technical committee for Oman Climate Week and the CHEMTECH Nuclear Energy AdvisoryCouncil.

Naveen holds a degree in Chemical Engineering with honors from the Government Engineering College, Thrissur, Kerala, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.

Mr. Ranjit Barthakur
Founder Forester,
Balipara Foundation

Ranjit Barthakur is a business leader with over five decades of experience, now deeply engaged in grassroots initiatives across environment, community development, healthcare, education and agriculture. His work is rooted in the Eastern Himalaya, advancing nature-based, community-led conservation and sustainable livelihoods, guided by the principle of ecological neutrality. He pioneered Naturenomics™, exploring the interdependence of nature and economics, and through the Balipara Foundation incubates solutions for forests and indigenous communities in North East India. He also leads initiatives such as River Journeys and Bamboo Civilization, and serves as Chairperson of Rajasthan Royals (IPL) and SAGA, Government of Assam.

Mr. Ajay Kumar Bhalla
Governor,
Government of Manipur

I am a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1984 Assam-Meghalaya cadre, i have served as Union Home Secretary of India from August 2019 to August 2024, handling major national issues including internal security, the COVID-19 response, and policy implementations. Held key roles such as Secretary in the Ministry of Power and Director General of Foreign Trade, reflecting his extensive experience in public administration. Presently I am serving as the Governor of Manipur and Nagaland.

Prof. Frank Biermann
Professor,
Utrecht University

Frank Biermann is a political scientist and professor of Global Sustainability Governance at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. He is the founder and inaugural chair of the Earth System Governance Project, a global, transdisciplinary research network of over 600 scholars. Biermann recently completed a 2.5 million EUR project on the impacts of the Sustainable Development Goals, funded by the European Research Council. His current work focuses on establishing the International Panel on Earth System Governance, a new science assessment network. Biermann is the author or editor of 22 books and over 200 journal articles and book chapters. His contributions have been recognized among others with the Volvo Environment Prize, for “defining new pathways for international environmental governance in a period of global change”, and the Distinguished Scholar Award in Environmental Studies from the International Studies Association.

Mr. Madhav Prasad Chaulagain
Hon.Minister,
Ministry of Forests and Environment ,Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport

Hon.Minister Madhav Prasad Chaulaigain : Mr. Madhav Chaulagain, Minister of Forests and Environment,  Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transportation, Government of Nepal Mr. Madhav Chaulagain brings over two decades of professional experience across governance, development policy, and large-scale program management. He holds postgraduate degrees in Arts (Rural Development) and Public Health (M.A., M.P.H.) and has worked extensively in organizational development, strategic information systems, research, surveillance, and evidence-based planning. Prior to his ministerial role, Mr. Chaulagain served in senior leadership positions, leading the design and implementation of multi-year, large-scale projects in Nepal’s community development, health, and development sectors. His work spans project management, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), policy formulation, research design, and statistical analysis.

Ms. Kanmani Chockalingam
Senior Fellow,
McKinsey Global Institute

Kanmani Chockalingam is a Senior Fellow at the McKinsey Global Institute, McKinsey’s business and economics research arm. Her research focuses on climate resilience, including how climate hazards are affecting people today, how these risks may evolve in a warming world, and what it will take to protect lives and livelihoods. She also studies human potential and skills—how individuals build human capital, and how companies can strengthen workforce development, as well as the performance, potential, and challenges facing small businesses. She is a frequent speaker on these topics at leading conferences and industry forums. Her research is widely cited in the media, and she contributes to articles and op-eds in major publications such as Mint, Financial Times, Project Syndicate, and The Harvard Business Review.

Mr. Dipak Dasgupta
Distinguished Fellow,
TERI

Mr Dipak Dasgupta is Distinguished Fellow, TERI. He has served on the Scientific Council to COP30 Presidency, and is Chair, Green Finance Hub Eastern India (under preparation). He has been a Core Scientific Author, Climate Change 2023, IPCC. He is Former Principal Economic Adviser, Government of India, Finance Ministry, Former Founding Board Member, Green Climate Fund and First Head of its Investment Committee. He has been educated at Calcutta, Delhi and Cambridge Universities. He has won Adam Smith Prize & Medallion, Amex Bank Review Award in Finance, and Gulbenkian Prize (as scientic member IPCC). He has over 16,000 citations in Google Scholar.

Mr. Nitin Desai
Chairman,
The Energy and Resources Institute

Mr Nitin Desai is a distinguished economist and a well-known voice in public policy for a nationally and internationally, especially in the sustainable development sector. He was in the Planning Commission (1973-88) and later served as the Chief Economic Adviser and Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, in the Ministry of Finance (1988-90). He also served as Senior Economic Adviser for the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission) where he introduced the concept of sustainable development. He was the Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs in the UN, where his major contributions included the organization of a series of global summits, notably the Rio Earth Summit (1992), the Copenhagen Social Development Summit (1995), the Monterrey Finance and Development Summit (2002) and the Johannesburg Sustainable Development Summit (2002). He oversaw the creation of the Commission on Sustainable Development in the UN, and was the first Under Secretary General for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development.

Dr. Vibha Dhawan
Director General,
The Energy and Resources Institute

Dr. Vibha Dhawan is the Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the Chancellor of the TERI School of Advanced Studies (TERI SAS). A distinguished academician and researcher, she is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Consul General South Asia Partnership, Michigan State University. Driven by a passion for advancing scientific knowledge, Dr. Dhawan has authored six books and over 70 publications, significantly contributing to research and innovation.

Recognized for her thought leadership, Dr. Dhawan has made notable contributions to both research and policy development at national and international levels. She is a member of key national committees under the Department of Biotechnology, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, and Biotech Consortium India. She also serves on the Networks Strategy Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a global initiative for the United Nations, and was the Co-Chair of the T20 Task Force 4 on "Refueling Growth: Clean Energy and Green Transitions."

Under her visionary leadership, TERI established the National Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping in collaboration with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. She also played a crucial role in founding the DBT-TERI Centre on Advanced Biofuels, fostering cutting-edge research in sustainable energy solutions.

Dr. Dhawan's extensive career includes serving as Coordinator of the Asia Pacific Consortium on Agriculture Biotechnology (APCoAB), Advisor to the Director General of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and Deputy Director for Research Partnerships and Coordination with the Borlaug Institute for South Asia. She has been a board member of several prestigious institutions, including Jawaharlal Nehru University, Ambedkar University, Agriliv Research Foundation, and the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI).

One of her significant achievements includes establishing the Micropropagation Technology Park at TERI, a successful initiative in plant biotechnology. She has also contributed to the development of e-learning content for postgraduate biotechnology programs under the University Grants Commission.

Dr. Dhawan's recent research focuses on biofuels, further cementing her commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions. Her work continues to inspire and shape transformative change in science, policy, and education. Dr Dhawan has joined the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Energy Technology Frontiers for the 2025-2026 term as a council member. Dr Dhawan has also joined the Governing Council of the United Nations Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI) in September 2025.

Mr. Mattias Frumerie
Climate Ambassador,
Swedish Ministry of Climate and Enterprise

Mattias Frumerie is Sweden's Climate Ambassador and Head of Delegation to the UNFCCC. Previous roles in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs include Head of Strategic communications, Head of EU single market, Head of EU policy as well as postings in Budapest and Brussels. Ambassador Frumerie has also served as EU advisor in the Prime Minister's Office. 

Ms. Patricia Fuller
President & CEO,
International Institute for Sustainable Development

Patricia Fuller became President and CEO of IISD in 2024.  She has more than 30 years of experience in public policy and diplomacy, with a focus on climate change, energy, and trade policy.  She was Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change from 2018 to 2022, and her diplomatic career has also included representing Canada as Ambassador to Chile and to Uruguay. In Ottawa, she headed the Office of Energy Efficiency at Natural Resources Canada and was Director General of Economic Development and Chief Economist at Global Affairs Canada. Earlier in her career, she managed trade policy disputes under the NAFTA and World Trade Organization agreements. Patricia was a Senior Fellow at the University of Ottawa from 2022 to 2024 and holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics. 

Dr. Sonali Ghosh
Field Director,
Kaziranga

Dr. Sonali Ghosh, an eminent Indian Forest Service officer, possesses over 25 years of distinguished service in forestry and wildlife governance. She has adeptly administered two UNESCO World Heritage Sites—Kaziranga and Manas National Parks—holding pivotal positions at both state and central government levels. Presently, she spearheads rhino conservation efforts, directs robust anti-poaching operations, and fosters community-driven biodiversity protection initiatives. A PhD graduate, a natural world heritage expert and UN-IPBES scholar, Dr. Ghosh exemplifies the fusion of scholarly excellence and administrative acumen. In 2025, she was honored with the prestigious IUCN-WCPA Kenton Miller Award for exemplary protected area governance. She steadfastly advocates that forest-fringe communities, particularly women, are instrumental in achieving climate resilience.

Ms. Sujata Gupta
Director, Energy, South Asia,
Asian Development Bank

Ms. Sujata Gupta is the Director of the South Asia Team, Energy Sector, Sectors Department 1 of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). She joined ADB in 2003 and has worked on the public and private sectors of ADB as well as for resource mobilization from development partners.

Sujata has a PhD from the London Business School, University of London and Master’s and Bachelor’s from the University of Delhi.

Before joining ADB, Sujata was Senior Fellow and Director of the Policy Analysis Division, at TERI (then the Tata Energy Research Institute), New Delhi. She has also worked as a visiting researcher at the International Institute of Applied System Analysis in Austria.

She was a member of United Nations (UNFCCC) CDM Methodologies for Baselines and Monitoring Panel (2002–2005), and a co-coordinating lead author for the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Dr. Pema Gyamtsho
Director General,
ICIMOD

Dr. Pema Gyamtsho is the Director General of ICIMOD and the first from the region it serves. He served the Royal Government of Bhutan for over three decades, including as Minister of Agriculture and Forests, bringing extensive experience in natural resources, rural development, and policy leadership. He holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from Zurich.

Ms. Valerie Hickey
Group Director for Environment,
The World Bank

Valerie Hickey is the Group Director for Environment at the World Bank Group. In this role, she leads a global team that leverages data, knowledge, and partnerships to ensure that the WBG’s public and private sector investments in nature, natural resource management, pollution management, and the circular economy generate more and better jobs, in more places, putting another nail in the coffin of poverty. This work centers on scaling proven solutions to achieve greater impact and to build a better future for communities, companies, and countries.

Prior to that she was the Global Director for Climate Change and the Global Director for Environment at the World Bank following a decade managing the World Bank’s public sector portfolios on climate and environment in Latin America and in Europe and Central Asia. In those roles she managed cross-sectoral teams that invested in countries and communities on issues related to climate change, sustainable forest management, integrated conservation and development, integrated coastal zone management, fisheries and aquaculture, pollution management and environmental health, environmental economics and environmental risk management.

Valerie joined the World Bank in 2003 as a specialist in East Asia and the Pacific, working on environment and rural development projects in Cambodia, China and Lao. Valerie has since worked across the Bank’s regions providing design and implementation support to a variety of operations, including in fragile states, where she led the Bank’s environment portfolio in Haiti following the earthquake in 2010. She has also led analytical work and technical assistance on frontier issues related to the blue economy, biodiversity and wildlife crime. Valerie focuses on solving problems and deploying the World Bank Group’s capital, convening services and analytical powers to unlock healthy nature as an engine of jobs and GDP, ensure healthy environments set communities, companies, cities and whole countries up to succeed, and build green, inclusive and resilient economies. Before joining the World Bank, Valerie worked for World Wildlife Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the US National Park Service where she worked on invasive species programs in Lake Mead, the reservoir to the Hoover Dam. Valerie holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy from Duke University.

Mr. Shankar Iyer
Director VBU - Transportation, Smart Cities and Sustainable Infrastructure,
M/s. Johnson Controls India

Collective experience of over 30 years with diverse set of multinational companies: Titan Industries – Product and Customer Service Group, Diageo - Sales, Marketing and Operations, Coca- Cola India – General Management and Bottling Operations, Hutchison Essar (Vodafone) – Head - Sales and Marketing Operations, Paramount Airways - Business Head – Bharti Infratel Limited – Regional Operations Head, Indus Towers Ltd - Regional Director & Chief Sales and Marketing Officer and currently serves Johnson Controls as Director VBU - Transportation, Smart Cities and Sustainable Infrastructure.

AMP (Advanced Management Program) Alumni of the Wharton School - University of Pennsylvania and Sustainability for Indian Businesses- Indian Institute of Technology - Madras 

Ms. Teena Jha
Senior Anchor,
Sansad TV

Teena Jha is a Senior Anchor with Sansad TV, Parliament of India. In her current role, she moderates high-level panel discussions featuring eminent experts on issues of national and global significance. Her work spans a wide range of subjects including public policy and governance, foreign affairs, defence and strategic affairs, contemporary regional and global developments, as well as environment and sustainability.

She also hosts in-depth podcasts and one-on-one conversations with distinguished personalities from diverse fields, bringing nuanced perspectives to complex issues.

A Journalism graduate from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, Teena brings over 15 years of rich experience across television and print media.

Mr. Amitabh Kant
Chancellor,
NIIT University

Amitabh Kant is a governance reformer and a public policy change agent. He was recently G20 Sherpa to the Prime Minister of India. As India's Sherpa to the G20 during India's Presidency of G20 in 2022-23, he navigated the challenging geopolitical waters, steering the G20 towards a consensus on a decisive and action-oriented New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, an essential document that outlined a clear path for addressing pressing global issues. Beyond his G20 role, Amitabh Kant's illustrious career spans key senior positions in the Government of India, where he spearheaded initiatives that reshaped the nation's economic landscape. His journey in public service includes serving as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) with Prime Minister of India as its Chairman. His tenure also saw him at the helm of the Department for Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in India and CEO of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) and Secretary, Tourism Government of Kerala. In these capacities, he demonstrated an unwavering commitment to pursuing reforms, driving economic growth and innovation in India.

Amitabh Kant is a true thought leader and has been a driving force behind numerous reforms and initiatives that have revolutionized India's landscape. Initiatives like Startup India, Make in India, Incredible India, Ease of Doing Business reforms and the Aspirational Districts Program and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) have left an indelible mark on the nation. His books, including "Made in India," "Incredible India 2.0," and "Branding India - An Incredible Story," have helped shape India's narrative. He has edited The Path Ahead: Transformative Ideas for India. Beyond India's borders, Amitabh Kant has been a member of the Steering Board of the "Shaping the Future of Production Systems" initiative at the World Economic Forum (WEF). He's also a Champion of the EDISON Alliance of the WEF, which focuses on deepening digital inclusion in areas such as health, education, and finance for developing nations worldwide. His contributions extended to the Management Board of the International Transport Forum (ITF), a unique inter-governmental agency for global transport. He received the prestigious Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship, conferred by the Prime Minister of New Zealand, is a Chevening Scholar and recipient of One Globe Award for leadership in Transforming Governance for the 21st Century. In the dynamic and ever-changing realm of global governance, Amitabh Kant stands as an unwavering beacon of leadership, innovation, and transformative change, not only for India but for the world. His journey is a testament to the power of visionary leadership and public policy in shaping the future of nations and the global community.

Dr. Sangita Kasture
Scientist G and Advisor,
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Dr. Sangita Kasture is working as Scientist ‘G’ / Adviser in Ministry of New and  Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India and Heading R&D and HRD Divisions,  promoting innovations and skill development in RE Sector. Recently she is also holding  additional charge of Director General of Sardar  Swaran  Singh  National  Institute  of  Bio- Energy   (SSSNIBE),   Kapurthala.  Dr. Sangita is a pivotal figure in advancing India's  Renewable Energy, specifically Bioenergy, Small Hydro Power Program under MNRE.

Mr. Bob Keefe
Executive Director,
E2 (Economy+Environment)

Bob Keefe is executive director of E2, a US-based organization of more than 11,000 business leaders who advocate for policies that are good for our economy and good for our environment. Named by TIME Magazine as one of the world's most influential climate leaders, Bob speaks regularly about the economic costs of climate change and the economic benefits of clean energy and climate action. He has testified before the US Congress and numerous state legislatures and is regularly quoted in media outlets globally. Bob is the author of two books on the economics of climate change, "Climatenomics: Washington Wall Street and the Economic Battle to Save our Planet" (2022) and "Clean Economy NOW: Stories From the Front Lines of an American Business Revolution (2024). Before joining E2 in 2011, Bob spent more than 20 years as a journalist, covering business, politics, technology and environmental news.

Ms. Ita Kettleborough
Partner,
Systemiq

Ita is the Director of the Energy Transitions Commission (ETC). Together with the ETC Commissioners, Ita advocates for the technologies, investments and policies required to deliver climate commitments. Ita leads the ETC Secretariat provided by Systemiq. She oversees the delivery of the ETC's analytical, international, and communications programmes, whilst also supporting the ETC members.   In her role as Partner of the Energy Platform at Systemiq, Ita brings a deep understanding of the clean energy landscape to help clients in the UK and internationally. Her recent work includes the 2025 publication of a report on the UK Continental Shelf Transition.   Prior to this, Ita was a Manager at Bain & Company working with business executives to address strategic challenges in the UK, Europe, and the USA. Ita worked across industrial, consumer products and heavy transport sectors, in addition to advising central government

Mr. Ashish Khanna
Director General,
International Solar Alliance

Mr Ashish Khanna has over twenty-six years of experience leading energy sector development in the private and public sectors in more than fifteen developing countries in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. He has unique experience working in the solar sector across the entire value chain, ranging from project conceptualisation to resource mobilisation, financing, bid process management, and project implementation.

As the former Head of the World Bank’s West and Central Africa Program, he led the Mission 300 for energy access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030. He has also worked as the Program Leader in the Middle East and North Africa, leading the program that enabled private sector investment of USD 20 billion in the energy sector for the first time in Egypt. In India, as the Lead Energy Specialist at the World Bank, he worked with the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy on policy and regulatory reforms to enable private sector engagement in solar. Born and raised in India, he has experienced first-hand the basic human need for energy access and the constraints of developing countries in achieving the same. He believes that the success of the International Solar Alliance requires a strengthened organisation with the right skills and accountability framework to earn the respect and trust of countries and their agencies in designing and implementing solar pathways for energy access and transition.

Mr Khanna has dual post-graduate degrees in Management and Public Administration. While pursuing his master's in public administration, he was recognised as a Littauer Fellow for Global Leadership Potential at Harvard Kennedy School.

Dr. Yoshinori Kodama
Principal Fellow,
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan

Mr Yoshinori Kodama is a senior Japanese diplomat, legal scholar, and international policy expert with over three decades of experience in global governance, trade, and environmental diplomacy. He holds a Bachelor of Law from Tokyo, a Master of Laws from Cambridge, and a PhD in Legal Studies from London. Since joining Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1990, he has served in key legal, economic, and multilateral roles, including postings in the United Kingdom, OECD, Cambodia, Malaysia, Belgium, NATO, and ASEAN. He has contributed to major international initiatives such as the Khmer Rouge Trials, ASEAN–QUAD disaster relief coordination, and OECD trade and environment negotiations. Currently Consul General of Japan in Honolulu, he is also a Visiting Research Scholar at the University of Hawaii. Mr Kodama serves as Principal Fellow at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and Honorary Adviser to TERI, with widely published work on international law, trade, and humanitarian cooperation.

Mr. Tanmay Kumar
Secretary,
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt of India

.

Ms. Dia Mirza
Actor, Producer, Eco Investor, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador,
& UN Secretary General’s Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals

Dia Mirza is an Award winning Actor, United Nations Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador, United Nations Secretary-General’s Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals, Ambassador Wildlife Trust of India, Eco Investor and Film Producer. 
 

Dr. Muaviyath Mohamed
Minister of State,
Ministry of Tourism and Environment of the Republic of Maldives

Dr. Muaviyath Mohamed earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. His research expertise lies in “Energy Constraint and Adaptability”, with a special emphasis on renewable energy applications tailored for small islands. He has several articles published in his areas of interest, which includes Energy Constraint and Adaptability: Focus on Renewable Energy on Small Islands. NERI, National Energy Research Institute, New Zealand, Solar and Wind Energy for Small Island Electrification: A Maldivian Case study, UKERC, UK Energy Research Centre, Voluntary demand participation (VDP) for security of essential energy activities in remote communities with case study in Maldives, Energy for Sustainable Development, International Energy Initiative.

He holds a Master’s degree in Marine Technology from The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), and BSc. Honors from the Islamic University of Technology (Dhaka, Bangladesh). He earned his MBA in 2021.

With over 20 years of experience in the education sector, Dr. Mohamed served as the former Deputy Vice Chancellor of The Maldives National University (MNU) from 2015 to 2019. In this capacity, he successfully oversaw critical divisions including Administration, Finance, Human Resources, and Project Planning/Development and implementation. Prior to this he was the Dean of Faculty of Engineering Technology at MNU.

Prof. Benito Müller
Managing Director,
Oxford Climate Policy

Professor Müller is Managing Director of Oxford Climate Policy (OCP), a not-for-profit company aimed at capacity building for developing country climate change negotiators, and Director of the European Capacity Building Initiative (ecbi), an international initiative for sustained capacity building in support of international climate change negotiations. At the University of Oxford, he serves as Convener of International Climate Policy Research at the Environmental Change Institute and holds a Fellowship at Wolfson College.

He received his doctorate (D.Phil.) in Philosophy from the University of Oxford. He has a Diploma in Mathematics from the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zürich.

His publication list can be found at: https://oxfordclimatepolicy.org/ocp-members-publications/benito-muller

He has published extensively on the OCP blog: https://blog.oxfordclimatepolicy.org/

Ms. Leena Nandan
Distinguished Fellow,
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)

Ms Leena Nandan is engaged with the Earth Science and Climate Change Division of TERI as Distinguished Fellow. At TERI, Ms Nandan plays a key role in strengthening and advancing initiatives focused on sustainable development strategies and climate action.

A retired officer of the Indian Administrative Service (1987 batch, Uttar Pradesh cadre), Ms Nandan is an expert in administration and governance, with a particular focus on public policy in the areas of climate change, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability. Her distinguished career spans thirty-seven years, during which she has demonstrated outstanding leadership and strategic vision in both state and central government roles.

Ms Nandan has served in various senior capacities within the Government of India. From May 2020, she served as Secretary in the Department of Consumer Affairs, before assuming charge as Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on January 1, 2022. During her tenure as Secretary until her superannuation in December 2024, she was instrumental in guiding national policy on forest conservation, climate resilience, and environmental management.

A student of English literature with a keen interest in writing, Ms Nandan holds a degree in English Honours from Patna Women’s College and has three books to her credit. She is also a management graduate, holding a Master’s Degree in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management, Manila.

Dr. Charles Ogilvie
Executive Director,
Ocean Energy Pathway

Dr Charles Ogilvie OBE is the Executive Director and a Co-Founder of OEP. Since the start of 2023, he has led the organisational design and build, working with the senior team and OEP’s governance board to secure scale up of funding and to shape policies, processes, and priorities during a phase of rapid growth.

Charles comes from a background as a strategist and entrepreneur working in the energy and climate sectors. As Director of Strategy for COP26 at the UK Cabinet Office, he had a key role in delivering the UK’s successful COP Presidency. He joined the Cabinet Office following on from his role leading on climate and energy policy as a Special Advisor in the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy during the period that Britain became the first country in the G7 to legislate for Net Zero, and agreed a landmark sector deal with the Offshore Wind Industry.

Ms. Martina Otto
Head of Secretariat,
Climate and Clean Air Coalition @UNEP

Martina Otto is a senior UN leader with over 25 years of experience driving global environmental action at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). She heads the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Secretariat, steering international efforts to cut short‑lived climate pollutants.

She has shaped UNEP’s work on cities, buildings, energy, and transport, and established and expanded several major multi-stakeholder partnerships. Her work is grounded in a systems perspective: building bridges between public policy, business actors, cities, and citizens, and connecting climate, nature and pollution agendas with broader socio-economic development.

She is a lawyer specialized in international environmental law.

Dr. Ash Pachauri
Director,
POP Movement

Dr. Ash Pachauri is a globally recognized behavioral scientist, author, and sustainable development strategist with 20+ years of experience advancing climate action, youth leadership, and public health worldwide. He is Co-Founder and Director of the POP Movement and Treasurer of the World Sustainable Development Forum. Dr. Pachauri has led major programs with the UN, WHO, and the Gates Foundation across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and has authored over 60 international publications. Honored with awards including the Oxford Union Society’s Mind Health Global Ambassador Award, the GlobalMindEd Inclusive Leader Award, the Presidential Service Award, the Humanitarian Plantinum Leadership Award, and recognition as a Top International Speaker 2025, he is committed to empowering youth and integrating behavioral science into climate action for a sustainable future. 

Mr. Indra Mani Pandey
Secretary General,
BIMSTEC

Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey is a distinguished diplomat who joined Indian Foreign Service in 1990. He currently serves as Secretary General of BIMSTEC. Earlier, Ambassador Pandey had served as Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman as well as Deputy Ambassador to France and Consul General in Guangzhou, China. He also held diplomatic positions in Cairo, Damascus, Islamabad, Kabul and Geneva. At India’s Ministry of External Affairs, he was head of Disarmament & International Security Affairs Division and served at the desks dealing with West Asia and North Africa, consular matters and India’s 4 neighbours. Ambassador Pandey attended the Foreign Service Programme at Oxford University and the National Security Course at the National Defence College of India. He has extensive diplomatic experience, including multilateral diplomacy.

Dr. Dammika Patabendi
Minister of Environment,
Government of Sri Lanka

Dr. Dammika Patabendi (b. 3 July 1969) is the Hon. Minister of Environment of Sri Lanka, serving in the Cabinet since November 2024. A medical doctor by training, he graduated from the Medical Faculty, University of Colombo, before entering public life with a strong commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development. Elected to Parliament from the Kegalle District as a member of the National People’s Power, he blends scientific insight with policymaking to tackle climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. As Minister, he champions green innovation, circular economy approaches, and international cooperation for resilient ecosystems. He also serves as President of the Sri Lanka–Iran Parliamentary Friendship Association, strengthening bilateral engagement on sustainable development goals.

Mr. Sudhir Pathak
Chief Science and Technology Officer,
Hero Future Energies

Sudhir joined Hero Future Energies in 2018 and is currently serving as “Chief Science and Technology Officer (CSTO). He has completed his Electrical Engg. from IIT (BHU) Varanasi. He has 29+ years of extensive Design & Engg experience in Power Sector of all forms from Thermal, Hydro, Solar, Wind, Hybrid, FDREs & has successfully bidded more than 8GW of RE till date. He has worked with various organizations, namely, Tata motors, NTPC, Lanco, Welspun (Now Avaada) & ACME. He has written several articles & papers.

Mr. Amit Patjoshi
CEO,
Palladium India

Mr. Amit Patjoshi, a distinguished leader contributing to India's journey towards social and economic transformation. With a robust career in renowned firms such as E&Y, KPMG, and PwC, Amit brings over two decades of invaluable experience in government advisory roles, collaborating with prestigious entities like FCDO, IFC, UNDP, World Bank, ADB, USAID, and multiple State Governments in India. As the CEO of Palladium India, Amit envisions positioning Palladium as the most impactful firm globally, leveraging their unique space in designing, developing, and implementing their projects. His approach prioritizes impact-driven projects, emphasizing the need for hands-on implementation and showcasing tangible results on the ground. With a focus on key sectors including Agriculture, Economic Growth, Climate, Health, and Disaster Risk Management, Amit's aim is to bring about substantial and meaningful changes that are crucial for India. 

Prof. Anand Patwardhan
Professor,
University of Maryland, College Park

Anand Patwardhan is Professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. He holds a BTech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Bombay, and an MS in Civil Engineering and a PhD in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on mitigation and adaptation responses to climate change in the context of sustainable development, as well as science, technology, and innovation policy. He has served as a Coordinating Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and as a member of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Science Committee of the World Adaptation Science Program, Co-Chair of the Adaptation Research Alliance, and Co-Lead of the Methodology Advisory Group of the Race to Resilience.

Ms. Seema Paul
Program Director,
Sequoia Climate Foundation

Seema Paul is a Program Director at Sequoia Climate Foundation, where she leads the India grantmaking portfolio. Prior to joining Sequoia, she led the launch of two environmental organizations in India: Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. She has also worked with philanthropic start-ups focused on climate change, including the United Nations Foundation and ClimateWorks Foundation, and with international organizations such as UNAIDS. Seema is a Lead International Fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation and an Alfred Friendly Press Fellow. She completed the International Executive Program at INSEAD and holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Delhi. Her writing has appeared in global and Indian media, including Time, The Dallas Morning News, and The Times of India, as well as in peer-reviewed journals.

Prof. Deo Prasad
Scientia Professor,
University of New South Wales, Sydney

Professor Deo Prasad is among the internationally recognised Australian experts in the field of environment and sustainability with a focus on net zero carbon innovations. His experience covers practice as a consultant, long standing experience as a thought leader and a distinguished academic, significant leadership and governance expertise, all with notable recognition from all levels of government and professions.  His expertise is very much in science and evidence-based approaches with a very high level of understanding of the innovation processes, the energy and carbon ecosystem with a high level of understanding of the human behaviour and social change dimensions.   These all influence not only technologies and design elements of driving net zero economy but also the people side including attracting talent and education and capability issues.

Ms. Nameeta Prasad
Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Nameeta Prasad has around 20 years in the field of environment and its audit. She is currently posted in the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India as Joint Secretary, with a diverse array of charges like mountain division, green credit program, biodiversity conservation, non-formal environment education, Awareness, Capacity Building and Livelihood issues.

Before her stint with the Ministry, she was involved with environment audit at the central and state level, auditing environment issues like waste management, water pollution, biodiversity, clean energy projects, air quality etc. She has also been India’s representative on the Working Group on Environmental Auditing. As Director in International Center for Environment Audit and Sustainable Development, (iCED) she was part of the team which set up iCED in Jaipur. She also served as the main faculty for national and international training programs in Environment audits on topics like Biodiversity, climate change, forests, waste management, water pollution etc.

As a Fulbright scholar, at the University of Washington from 2018-20, she earned a master's degree in environmental sciences. Her grad work consisted of study in the areas of climate change, sustainability, GIS mapping and its use in environmental sciences, forest management, water resources/pollution, landscape ecology, ecosystem services as well as quant analysis. She also has a PG diploma in environment law from National Law School, Bangalore. As a student in Delhi University, she also earned a Masters degree in Psychology.

Mr. Amit Prothi
Director General,
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

Amit Prothi is the Director General of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), a global partnership headquartered in Delhi that brings together over 50 countries and international organisations to advance climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure. Under his leadership, CDRI has significantly expanded its global membership, scaled up technical assistance and capacity-building programs, and strengthened advocacy to address the growing risks communities face from natural hazards and climate change. Prior to CDRI, Mr. Prothi held leadership roles at AECOM in the United States, consulted with the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, and collaborated with global think tanks and philanthropic organizations, including the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities initiative. He has worked in over 15 countries—including the USA, China, India, Greece, Mongolia, and Mauritania—bringing deep internati

Mr. Sharad Pungalia
Country Head,
Gentari, India

Mr. Sharad Pungalia is the Country Head of Gentari, India, leading integrated operations across Renewable Energy, Green Hydrogen, and Green Mobility. With over 20 years in the power and energy sector, he is driving Gentari’s mission to accelerate India’s clean energy transition. Previously, as MD & CEO of Amplus, he scaled its portfolio to over 2.4 GW and expanded offerings to include storage, hybrids, and green hydrogen. Sharad brings deep expertise in project development, commercial strategy, and regulatory navigation, with a proven track record of delivering customer-focused, scalable energy solutions.

Mr. Manjeev Puri
Former Ambassador to the European Union,
Distinguished Fellow, The Energy and Resources Institute

Manjeev Singh Puri joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1982 and has served as Ambassador of India to the European Union, Belgium, Luxembourg, Nepal and as Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN. In addition, he has served twice in Germany (in Bonn and Berlin), in Cape Town, Muscat, Bangkok and Caracas.

From 2005 to 2009, he headed the UN-Economic & Social Affairs- Division in the Ministry of External Affairs of India and led the Indian delegation for the first meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Brussels in July 2007 and the presentation of various reports by India at the Human Rights Council. During 2011-2012, when India served on the Security Council, he was a senior member of its delegation.

Major areas of his experience and professional focus relate to the environment, in particular climate change and sustainable development. He was a lead negotiator for India at the UN on issues relating to the post 2015 development agenda, Sustainable Development Goals and at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 2012. He was a key member of India's delegation at various Climate Change negotiations, including the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC in Copenhagen in December 2009 and before that at Montreal, Bali, Bonn and Poznan. Furthermore, he was closely involved with India's participation in the G8-G5 Summits from 2005 and he was the points-person on the Indian side at the Major Economies Forum.

Puri has a Masters degree in Management and did his BA (Honours) in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. He is a Distinguished Fellow and on the Advisory Board of TERI.

Mr. Mukundan Ramakrishnan
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer,
Tata Chemicals Limited

Mr R. Mukundan, Managing Director & CEO of Tata Chemicals Limited, joined the Tata Administrative Service in 1990, after completing an MBA from FMS, Delhi University.  He is a distinguished alumnus of IIT, Roorkee, a Fellow of the Indian Chemical Society and an alumnus of Harvard Business School.  He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by XIM University, Bhubaneswar.  With over 30 years of experience at the Tata Group, he has held various responsibilities across the Chemical, Automotive and Hospitality sectors of the Tata Group.  He serves industry forums and impact organisations.  He is currently President–Designate CII for FY 2025-26.

Mr. Rajani Ranjan Rashmi
Distinguished Fellow,
The Energy and Resources Institute

Mr. R. R. Rashmi is Distinguished Fellow at the Energy and Resources Institute, Delhi where he works on climate change policy, low emission growth and carbon market issues.

Mr Rashmi is a senior retired IAS officer of 1983 batch from Manipur Cadre with over 35 years’ experience of public service. He held the position of Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt of India and later the Chief Secretary, Govt of Manipur. He was India’s key climate negotiator for several years and was involved with climate change policy making in the run up to the Paris Agreement.  

Mr Rashmi is a member of the national steering committee on carbon markets and the Technical Advisory Body of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on CORSIA. He is also part of the Environment Advisory Group of the National Human Rights Commission.  

Mr. Tom Rivett Carnac
Founding Partner,
Global Optimism

Tom Rivett-Carnac is a political strategist, author and podcaster. He has spent more than 20 years working to address the climate and ecological crises. Tom co-founded Global Optimism with Christiana Figueres after they left the UN in 2016. The organisation inspires individuals and builds transformative partnerships that tackle the climate crisis with the conviction, scale and speed that science demands.  His responsibilities at Global Optimism include strategic roles across the philanthropic, non-profit and private sectors. ‍Tom is also the co-author of the international bestseller The Future We Choose and co-host of the award-winning weekly podcast Outrage and Optimism. Tom was Senior Political Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the UN Climate Change Convention from 2013-2016, a position from which he helped co-develop the strategy that led to the landmark Paris Climate Agreement.

Ms. Frauke Roeser
Managing Director,
NewClimate Institute

Frauke Roeser has over two decades of experience in climate policy, energy transitions and sustainable development. Her work focuses in particular on the just and clean transition agenda, international cooperation and diplomacy and climate finance. She has extensive experience directing and supporting projects in many parts of the world, collaborating with government and non-government stakeholders, civil society, business and research partners. Frauke co-founded NewClimate Institute in 2014 and in that function assumes various management roles in the organisation. Prior to NewClimate she worked for many years for international consultancies, and in the private and public sectors in Germany, the UK and Argentina. Frauke holds an MA in Literature and Political Science and an MSc in Environmental Strategy. 

Ms. Anaclaudia Rossbach
Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director,
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)

Anacláudia Rossbach (Brazil) is the Executive Director of UN-Habitat and an economist with over 20 years of experience in housing, informal settlements, and urban policies. She was appointed Executive Director of UN-Habitat at the Under-Secretary-General level by the General Assembly, following nomination by the UN Secretary-General on 7 June 2024.

Prior to this role, she was the Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and served as Regional Manager for Cities Alliance, where she
founded the Urban Housing Practitioners Hub. Prior to that, with the World Bank, she oversaw the development and implementation of Brazilian housing and slum-upgrading
policies. Ms. Rossbach has actively contributed to global urban policy discussions and has a strong academic presence in the field. She took office on 12 August 2024.

Mr. Ramkumar S
Secretary,
Government of Meghalaya

Ramkumar has worked in Meghalaya for the past decade. He has worked in various field level postings apart from a half a decade experience in Health Sector. He has also been actively involved in reducing emmissions in Health Sector which is one of the most polluting sectors. This involves almost saturating all the Sub Centres and Primary Health Centres through Decentralised Solar plants. He is also Executive Director of Meghalaya Basin Development Agency which is actively involved in many environment and restoration related projects. 

Prof. Veena Sahajwalla
Scientia Professor and Founding Director,
Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology, The University of New South Wales

Professor Veena Sahajwalla is an internationally recognised materials scientist, engineer, and inventor revolutionising recycling science. She is renowned for pioneering the high temperature transformation of waste in the production of a new generation of ‘green materials’ at the UNSW Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) Centre, where she is Founding Director. Professor Veena is the inventor of polymer injection technology, known as green steel, an eco-friendly process for using recycled tyres in steel production. In 2018, Veena launched the world's first e-waste MICROfactorieTM and in 2019 she launched her plastics and Green Ceramics MICROfactoriesTM, a recycling technology breakthrough.

Professor Veena is the director of the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for ‘microrecycling’, a leading national research centre that works in collaboration with industry to ensure new recycling science is translated into real world environmental and economic benefits. Professor Veena has also been appointed hub leader of the national NESP Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub. In 2021, Professor Veena featured in the ABC’s Australian Story and she was named the 2022 NSW Australian of the Year in recognition of her work. Professor Veena was named the 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes winner for the Celestino Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science and was also awarded the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) Clunies Ross Innovation Award. She was also named a finalist for the NSW Woman of Excellence Award at the 2022 Women of the Year Awards.

In 2023, Professor Veena was awarded the Engineering Australia Chemical College Chemical Engineer Achievement Award and the Good Design 2023 Women in Design Award. In 2025, Professor Veena was awarded the ‘Officer of the Order of Australia’ (AO) for distinguished service to science, sustainable materials research and technology and waste management on Australia Day. Professor Veena won the prestigious Excellence in Sustainable Innovation (Industrial) Award at an event honouring trailblazing and visionary women as part of the Vogue Codes Summit 2025.

Dr. Dipankar Saharia
Senior Director,
TERI

Dr. Dipankar Saharia leads TERI’s Social Transformation and Strategic Alliance Programme, which includes divisions like Social Transformation and CSR, Environment Education and Awareness, Knowledge Resource Centres and a few other research Divisions. He also heads TERI's Administrative Services Division and Regional Centres. He is also the Managing Director of ONGC TERI Biotech Ltd (OTBL). He served in the Assam Civil Services from 1997 to 2009, holding roles such as Assistant Commissioner, Officer on Special Duty in the Personnel Department and Science & Technology Department, and was on deputation to TERI. Earlier, he worked with TERI (1995–1996) on the Tissue Culture Pilot Project (now MTP). Dr. Saharia holds an M.Sc. and a Ph.D. with expertise in biotechnology, natural resource management, rural development, and projects spanning watershed management, micropropagation, renewable energy, biofuels, and carbon finance.

Ms. Supriya Sahu
Additional Chief Secretary to Government,
Environment, Climate Change & Forest Dept., Govt. of Tamil Nadu

Ms. Supriya Sahu, an officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), currently serves as Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu in the Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Forests. With over three decades of experience in public service, she has worked across diverse sectors, including health, broadcasting, environment, climate change, wildlife, and biodiversity conservation.

In recognition of her leadership in ecosystem restoration, sustainable cooling, and climate governance, Ms. Sahu was selected as a recipient of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Champions of the Earth Award, 2025, the United Nations’ highest environmental honour.

Under her leadership, the State has launched mission-driven initiatives focused on restoring degraded forests, protecting wetlands, coastal ecosystems, and strengthening climate governance. These include the plantation of more than 108 million native trees, massive expansion of mangroves in 14 coastal districts, increase in Ramsar wetland sites from 1 to 20, notification of 8 new wildlife sanctuaries, and targeted conservation programs for lesser-known species such as the Nilgiri Tahr, Dugong, and Slender Loris.

Her approach has emphasized both ecological and social outcomes, involving local communities and stakeholders in implementation, to build a structured and replicable model for environmental action. Her work is driven by data and scientific evidence, participatory planning, and attention to social equity. Her efforts reflect a coordinated, systems-based approach to forests, ecosystem restoration, and climate governance, with a strong emphasis on aligning state action with national and global commitments.

Ms. Sahu has played a key role in setting up a not-for-profit, special purpose vehicle, the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company (TNGCC), India’s first climate company. This institutional mechanism coordinates efforts across afforestation, wetland protection, coastal restoration, and climate adaptation through four dedicated missions:

1. Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission (TN-SHORE) – Launched in 2024 with World Bank support, TN-SHORE is one of India’s most ambitious coastal resilience projects.
2. Green Tamil Nadu Mission (GTM) – Aims to increase green cover from 23.69% to 33% by 2030.
3. Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission – Mapping and restoring wetlands while securing new Ramsar sites.
4. Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission (TNCCM) – Mainstreaming climate literacy and climate adaptation.

Her leadership has placed Tamil Nadu at the forefront of species recovery and ecosystem restoration, including Project Nilgiri Tahr and large-scale mangrove conservation initiatives.

Ms. Sahu’s hallmark is her emphasis on people-centric conservation through initiatives such as Village Mangrove Councils, Mahout Villages, Trek TN, and the Endangered Species Fund.

Ms. Luisa Salgueiro
Mayor,
Câmara Municipal de Matosinhos

Luisa Salgueiro holds a Law degree and a postgraduate qualification in Environmental Law. Before being elected Mayor in 2017, she practiced law, namely as a Legal Consultant. She was elected Councilor at Matosinhos City Council for three terms, from 1997 to 2009, served as a Member of the National Parliament for four terms, and was Vice‑President of NATO’s Parliamentary Committee on Energy and Environmental Security. She has chaired the Board of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities from 2021 to 2025 and presently she is the Chair of the General Council. She is currently President of the Assembly of the Eixo Atlântico Association; Vice‑President of the Board of the Association for the Collaboration of Ports and Port Cities; Vice‑President of RETE – Association for Ports and Port Cities, President of the Coordinating Council of Cities for Climate; Vice‑President of the Regional Executive Committee of ICLEI

Mr. Ovais Sarmad
Independent Adviser on Sustainability & Innovation | Vice Chair of GHG Protocol Steering Committee,
GHG Protocol

Vice Chair – Green House Gas Protocol (GHG-P) Steering Committee | Former Deputy Executive Secretary / ASG at UNFCCC | Former IOM Chief of Staff & Director of Cabinet. Ovais Sarmad served the United Nations Climate Change secretariat (UNFCCC) – COP23 to COP 27 (2017 to 2023) during which he managed the secretariat operations, advised Executive Secretaries on a range of issues relating to the strategic operations planning and development of the organization.  He contributed to and spoke at various fora at the global level on climate change, migration and multilateralism and engaged in public policy discourse and development. his other areas of focus include engaging with and supporting activities and organizations around the world (a) that promise to innovate and accelerate sustainable development and growth; (b) to contribute to public policy discourse and development; (c) to empower youth through quality education

Ms. Priya Shankar
India Director, Environment Program,
Bloomberg Philanthropies

Priya Shankar works with the Environment Program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, where she leads the program’s work in India and global portfolio on air quality. She also works on issues of clean energy development, climate finance, and subnational action. She previously worked with the Government Innovation Program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, where she led the India Smart Cities Program. She has more than 18 years’ experience in policy research, international, and urban affairs including at LSE Cities at the London School of Economics, Deutsche Bank’s Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft and the think tank, Policy Network

Mr. Siddharth Sharma
CEO,
Tata Trusts

Mr. Siddharth Sharma is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tata Trusts, one of Asia’s oldest and largest philanthropies, which are committed to making a positive and irreversible impact on millions of lives through their interventions in areas such as health, education, nutrition, livelihood, sustainability, urban habitat, sanitation and hygiene. Apart from providing administrative leadership to the Trusts, he also sits on the Boards of various not-for-profit organizations and Section 8 Companies. Prior to his appointment as the CEO of Tata Trusts, Mr. Sharma was the Group Chief Sustainability Officer at Tata Sons, where he spearheaded the Tata Group’s sustainability agenda, including crafting the Group’s ambitious ‘Net Zero by 2045’ agenda. He was, in that capacity, also the Chair of the Tata Group Sustainability Council, the apex sustainability body of the Tata Group. He started his career in October 1992 as a civil servant and spent more than two and half decades in key Ministries and Departments of Government of India, including as the Financial Advisor to the 13th and 14th Presidents of India before transitioning to the Tata Group in February 2019.

Mr. Shreyas Shende
Senior Research Associate,
Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab, Johns Hopkins

Shreyas Shende is a Senior Research Associate at the Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab. His research focuses on industrial policy, South Asian security, and India's energy and public policy landscape. He worked with the US-India team at the Centre for Strategic & International Studies in Washington DC, United States, and with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace India in New Delhi, India. In previous roles, he authored policy documents, organized Track 1.5 dialogues, and helped expand Carnegie’s presence in India working closely with the senior leadership. He has written on South Asian security for Lawfare, The Diplomat, The Print, The Wire, and more. He has co-authored a working paper on India-Afghanistan ties for Carnegie India, and a book chapter on the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW, India’s external intelligence agency) in an Oxford University Press edited volume on India's security institutions. He writes Indialog, a regular India-focused newsletter on security and policy issues. He holds a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Chicago and a Diploma and Bachelor’s in Political Science and International Relations from Ashoka University. 

Mr. Mingma Tempa Sherpa
Commissioner cum Secretary,
Planning & Development Department

Shri Mingma T Sherpa, IAS Commissioner cum Secretary, Planning &  Development Department, Government of Sikkim is M A (History) and has done executive courses in  IIM, Ahmedabad, University of West London and Sydney Institute of Technology and has also undertaken tailored made training in MASHAV Israel. He joined State Civil Service in the year 1991 tand got inducted in All India Service with allotment year 2011. He has in the past served in Departments; namely Urban Development, Land Revenue, Horticulture, besides district postings.

Ms. Prachi Shevgaonkar
Founder,
Cool The Globe

Prachi Shevgaonkar is a climate innovator and founder of Cool The Globe, a global climate-action app with users across 147+ countries. Awarded Young Change-maker of the Year by India’s Finance Minister. Prachi serves as Climate Change Advisor to Tata Power, won a deal on Shark Tank India, and was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia.

She represented India at COP27, is the youngest Indian on the advisory board of the Climate Leadership Coalition, and a founding member of a Global Youth Council alongside Juan Manuel Santos. Her campaigns have reached 25M+ people, helping communities save 8 M kg of emissions. Prachi mobilizes citizens through technology, advocacy, and grassroots action, believing that when ordinary people unite, extraordinary change follows.

Mr. Mahendra Singhi
Member of Board of Directors & Strategic Advisor,
Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd.

Mr Mahendra Singhi has played a significant role in the growth and development of the cement sector in India over the past 43 years. He worked as the Managing Director and CEO of Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited, a major group in India, globally recognised for its low carbon footprint in cement production, water positive operations and bold ambitions and achievements on sustainability. Mr Singhi is continuing as the Director & Strategic Advisor to Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited and also serving as President of Cement Manufacturing Association (CMA), a leading body representing about 450 million tonnes of installed cement capacity in India.

A visionary and advocate of sustainability, Mr Singhi has been the driving-force in inculcating this concept in the objectives and operations of the cement companies he has worked with. Mr Singhi is a frequent speaker at various national and international events on climate protection and sustainability to highlight the business actions and ambitions. Mr Singhi represented the business and cement sector during COP and High-Level Government-Business Dialogues of French Presidency, Governments and United Nations.

A positive thinker and strong supporter of happiness culture in the organisation, Mr Singhi promotes innovative ideas and research. He deeply believes research has the potential to eradicate climate change impacts and create future opportunities unknown to businesses. Mr Singhi is a science & law graduate and a Chartered Accountant. He is very spiritual and an avid reader of behavioural psychology.

Ms. Vaishali Sinha
Co-founder,
ReNew

Vaishali Nigam Sinha is the Co-Founder of ReNew, a leading decarbonisation solutions company listed on NASDAQ. As Chairperson Sustainability, she plays a pivotal role in positioning ReNew as a global ESG leader, spearheading the net-zero agenda and implementing strategies that have earned the company top international ESG rankings.

She is the Founding Chair of ReNew Foundation and leads the ReNew India Initiative, through which ReNew has reached remote regions, positively impacting over 1.5 million lives with CSR programs aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Under her leadership, ReNew led India’s energy sector in S&P Global’s 2025 Corporate Sustainability
Assessment—ranking in the 93rd percentile globally and among the top 10% of energy companies worldwide. In 2025, Vaishali was elected as President of the UN Global Compact Network India (UNGCNI). Vaishali is a member of the Governing Council of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), helping shape
the institution’s strategic vision.

Mr. Manu Srivastava
Additional Chief Secretary,
Government of Madhya Pradesh

Manu Srivastava is in the IAS with 19 years of experience in energy sector, covering natural gas, electricity, and renewable energy. He holds B.Tech. & M.Tech. degrees in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi. He has lead path-breaking innovative projects in the field of solar energy. His 750 MW Rewa Project was the first project in the country to provide solar energy at rates lower than that of coal-based power. His recent Morena Solar-cum-4 hour Storage project has got an astonishingly low rate of ₹2.70/unit, the lowest rate ever achieved in India. His Solar Rooftop projects have established a new way of setting up solar rooftop projects in the country – zero investment by the beneficiary and savings for 25 years. He is engaged, both nationally and internationally, as an expert in renewable energy. His expertise is setting up projects that mitigate investor risk and enable lower price discovery.

Ms. May-Elin Stener
Ambassador,
Royal Norwegian Embassy

May-Elin Stener is currently Ambassador of Norway to India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives. Prior to taking up this position, from 2020-2023, she was the Deputy Director General of the Regional department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, covering Africa, Asia, Latin -America and the Middle East, as well as peace and reconciliation issues. May-Elin headed the section for Horn of Africa and West-Africa between 2018-2020. She was Norway’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations headquarter in New York (2014-2018) as well as Deputy Head of the Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa (2007-2011). She has worked for the Norwegian Foreign Service since 1995, and has extensive diplomatic experience multilaterally, with a focus on humanitarian affairs. She has also been posted to the UN offices in Geneva and has headed the Section for Humanitarian Affairs in the Ministry. Stener is married with one adult daughter and two adult stepchildren. She is a lawyer by training.

Mr. Himal Tewari
CHRO, Chief - Sustainability & CSR,
Tata Power

I have been serving as the Chief Human Resources Officer of the Tata Power Group since 2019 and also lead the Sustainability and CSR portfolios. As Chairman of the Tata Power Community Development Trust, I guide the company’s social impact initiatives. With over 29 years of experience across conglomerates and global consulting firms, I specialize in organizational effectiveness, leadership development, change management, and board governance. Previously, I was Vice President – HR at Tata Sons and Executive Director at Russell Reynolds Associates. I began my career at Tata Motors and hold advanced degrees from INSEAD, Delhi School of Economics, and University of Delhi.

Ms. Mansi Madan Tripathy
Chairperson, Shell Group of Companies in India & Senior Vice President,
Shell Lubricants APAC

Mansi is an accomplished business leader with over 25 years of extensive experience across various industries, business models, and markets. As Chairperson of the Shell group of companies in India,  Mansi overseas Shell's largest footprint globally with 13,000 employees and a turnover of $3  Billion in the country. Additionally, she is also responsible for managing a portfolio of $2.5 billion, 9 Blending Plants, and 1500+ employees in her role as Vice President for Shell Lubricants, Asia Pacific.

Mansi is actively engaged in co-creating pathways towards decarbonization and has a remarkable track record of building brands, growing profitable market share and nurturing talent.

As an exemplary leader, Mansi's contribution has also been recognized by the industry. This includes the Executive of the Year award at the Singapore Business Review Management Excellence Awards in 2022 and the Woman of the Decade award for Innovation and Enterprise at the Women Economic Forum (WEF) in 2018. She has served as a jury member of various international awards and has been a speaker and panelist for various reputed events.

Ms. Isabelle Tschan
Deputy Resident Representative,
UNDP

Isabelle Tschan Harada (Switzerland) has worked for 20 years in international development at the country, regional and headquarters levels in different regions in conflict, post-conflict, low and middle-income country contexts. Prior to taking up her assignment in India, she served as Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Burkina Faso and as Governance and Peacebuilding Team Leader at UNDP Regional Hub for Europe and Central Asia in Istanbul (Turkey).

Isabelle also worked as Policy and Programme specialist with UNDP Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery in New York and at the Regional Center for West and Central Africa in Dakar (Senegal). She has programmatic and policy experience in a number of thematic areas, including gender equality, socio-economic development, resilience and livelihoods, energy and environment, governance, peacebuilding and rule of law. Before joining UNDP in 2009, Isabelle served as Assistant to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, as Human Rights Officer for the UN Peacekeeping Operation in Burundi (ONUB), and as Regional Coordinator for Sub-Saharan Africa with the Swiss Federal Office for Migration.

Isabelle Tschan holds Master's degrees in Human Rights and Democratization (E.MA, Venice, Italy and Raoul Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Lund, Sweden) and in International Relations (Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva, Switzerland) and speaks German, English, French and Spanish. She likes arts, travelling, discovering and learning about various cultures, swimming and hiking.

Ms. Dechen Tsering
Regional Director,
United Nations Environment Programme

Ms Tsering serves as Director of the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. She has held senior management and leadership roles within the United Nations system and brings over 33 years of experience across national governments and intergovernmental organisations. She has been closely engaged in intergovernmental climate negotiations as a key negotiator for least developed countries and has contributed to the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the Least Developed Countries Fund, and the Green Climate Fund. She also has extensive experience managing complex development programmes. In 2017, Ms Tsering was appointed UNEP’s Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific. Prior to this, she served as Director of the Finance, Technology and Capacity-Building Programme at the UNFCCC secretariat, where she supported international cooperation on climate finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity building. Earlier, she was Deputy Regional Director of UNEP’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. She holds a PhD in forest economics and policy from ETH Zurich, a master’s degree from Georgetown University, and undergraduate degrees from the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Annapurna Vancheswaran
Former Senior Director, TERI,
Former Managing Director, TNC-India

Dr Annapurna Vancheswaran is a sustainable development practitioner with over three and half decades of experience in the environment and education domain.  The focus of her work has primarily being in the area of global sustainable development. This covers activities  spanning interactions with international and Indian organizations’, government departments, NGOs, education and the private sector with particular application to the diverse problems of India and emerging economies. Her principal focus has been to mainstream sustainable development and practices among varied stakeholders. Among others, some of the significant work in this regard is with the Business sector for creating synergy and encouraging businesses to drive sustainability across all their operations. Addressing climate vulnerability of emerging economies, she supported the creation of a thought-leadership platform in 2001 at TERI, overseeing it for two decades. This platform continues to provide value additions to governments, business communities and societies at large. In 2023, the Government of India (GoI) nominated a four-member team that included Annapurna to the Inter-governmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

A PhD from the Indian Institute of Delhi, she dedicated over three decades to The Energy and Resources Institute until 2021 post which, she was the Manging Director of The Nature Conservancy (TNC)India from 2021 -2024. Currently, she resides in Coimbatore consulting with TNC India as a Senior Advisor.

Dr. Anantha Nageswaran Venkatraman
Chief Economic Adviser,
Ministry of Finance

Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran is the 18th Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India. Before being appointed CEA, he was a writer, author, teacher and consultant. He wrote a weekly column in Mint on Tuesdays from 2007 until 2022. He has co-authored books on Derivatives, Global Finance and the Indian economy. He earned his doctoral degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in 1994 for his work on exchange rate behaviour. In 1985, he received a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He worked in macroeconomic and financial markets research for international financial institutions in Switzerland and Singapore from 1994 to 2011.

Dr. Kira Vinke
Deputy Research Director,
German Council on Foreign Relations

Dr. Kira Vinke is Deputy Research Director at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and Head of DGAP’s Center for Climate and Foreign Policy. She is also a member of the Advisory Board to the Federal Government for Civilian Crisis Prevention and Peacebuilding, which she co-chaired from 2018 to January 2025. From 2014-2022, she worked at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Before joining DGAP, she headed the East Africa Peru India Climate Capacities (EPICC) project there.

Until 2018, Vinke was a research analyst to the director of PIK. In this capacity, she worked from 2014 to 2016 as an analyst for the German Advisory Council on Global Change to the Federal Government (WBGU). She provided her expertise as a consultant for the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and the Asian Development Bank. She has extensive field research experience in South Asia, the Pacific, and the Sahel.

Vinke completed her doctoral dissertation (summa cum laude) at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin on the subject of climate change and migration; her studies were funded by the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes. For her dissertation, she received the “Potsdamer Nachwuchswissenschaftler-Preis,” a prize for young scientists, from the city of Potsdam.

Vinke has been a member of the advisory board of Germany’s Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS) since 2022. She is also a member of the board of trustees of the German Climate Foundation (Deutsche KlimaStiftung) and of the World Vision Deutschland e.V. In addition, Vinke is a member of the German section of “Aktion gegen den Hunger” (Action Against Hunger), and the Development Service and Humanitarian Aid Committee of “Brot für die Welt” (bread for the world).

Mr. Michael Walker
Chief Executive Officer,
STAX Engineering

Michael Walker has been CEO of STAX since 2019. During this time, he has overseen the expansion of the company from a single unit to the clear market leader in the emission capture and control market. With over 10 units in operation and treating globabl shipping lines like, Maersk, ONE, OOCL, NYK, KLine, Glovis, Shell, Chevron, and Olympus, STAX serviced over 30,000 hours last year effectively reducing 62 million cars worth of emissions. 

Michael has over 20 years of operations, management, and leadership experience in building companies, from the pre-commercialization start-up phase to successful market penetration and integration in environmental infrastructure markets. His financial acumen provides a solid foundation for STAX’s future expansion and ongoing operations.

Mr. Arne Walther
Ambassador (r),
Walther International Consulting

Ambassador Arne Walther is currently an independent adviser on government relations, geopolitics and international energy affairs. A former Norwegian diplomat, he has served as Ambassador to India, Japan, Austria and the UN Organizations in Vienna.  He has been Chairman of the Governing Board of the International Energy Agency (Paris) and was the founding Secretary General of the International Energy Forum (Riyadh). He has served as Special Adviser on International Affairs for former Norwegian Prime Minister Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland.

Prof. Durwood Zaelke
President,
Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development

Durwood Zaelke is founder and President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD) in Washington, DC and Paris, where he focuses on fast mitigation strategies, including reducing short-lived climate pollutants (HFCs, black carbon, methane, and tropospheric ozone), in order to limit the extent and duration of overshooting the 1.5°C guardrail of the Paris Agreement. In 2022, Zaelke was selected as one of the 16 most influential people in DC for climate policy as part of Washingtonian Magazine’s Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People. Also in 2022, four articles initiated and co-authored by Zaelke were identified among the 12 seminal publications that “formed the scientific foundation for the Montreal Protocol parties to take bold steps to phase down HFCs via the Kigali Amendment,” which remains the single biggest and fastest bite out of the climate threat, on track to avoid nearly 0.5°C of warming by end of century.