Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, inaugurated the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2025 in New Delhi on Wednesday. Addressing the summit, Yadav highlighted India’s growing role in driving climate action, with a special focus on the Global South’s contributions to shaping the global climate agenda.

The summit themed Partnerships for Accelerating Sustainable Development and Climate Solutions was Organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). The event was attended by distinguished dignitaries, including Prime Minister of Guyana, Brigadier Mark Phillip, and Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, were present at the event.

Union Minister Yadav noted that in 2020, India successfully reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 7.93%, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to combating climate change. He stressed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has taken transformative steps with initiatives like the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and Mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE).

Yadav also drew attention to the critical issue of speciesism, highlighting the need for policies that protect and restore biodiversity. He emphasised that sustainability must extend to all forms of life to create a balanced and healthy ecosystem.

Yadav urged developed nations to fulfill their financial and technological obligations under the Paris Agreement, emphasising the need for enhanced global cooperation to strengthen Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). He stressed the importance of including the Global South in climate discourse and called for increased adaptation finance to build resilience in vulnerable regions.

He also outlined India’s long-term vision of becoming a Viksit Bharat (developed nation) by 2047, with a target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. India has already made significant progress, reducing its emission intensity of GDP by 36% between 2005 and 2020.

The summit was attended by notable experts, including Nitin Desai, Chairman of TERI, and Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General of TERI, among other dignitaries and subject matter experts.