New Delhi, March 8, 2025: After three days of insightful debates, strategic policy dialogues, and bold global commitments, the 24th edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2025, organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), concluded today, reinforcing the global agenda for sustainability and climate resilience. The valedictory session, “WSDS@25 and Driving Impact through Multistakeholder Dialogues,” highlighted the critical role of collaborative partnerships in addressing complex sustainability challenges and environmental concerns.
The first session of the final day commenced with the chair’s remarks by Mr Nitin Desai, Chairman, TERI, who underscored the necessity of sustained dialogue among diverse stakeholders to drive long-term environmental and developmental impact. He said, “Sustainable development serves as a bridge between two epistemic communities—the development community and the environmental community. This, in essence, is the real challenge of sustainability: How can we achieve development while also protecting the environment? It’s not an easy task.”
The Keynote Address was delivered by Ms Dia Mirza, Actor, Producer, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, and UN Secretary-General’s Advocate for SDGs, who emphasized the power of individual and collective action in addressing climate challenges. She said, “The road ahead is not easy. There will be challenges, and there will be moments of doubt. But, if we work together, if we stay committed to the values that drive us—the pursuit of justice, equity, and sustainability—I believe we can meet this moment with the urgency and determination it requires. When I think of solutions, I think about Act4Earth, a movement that is close to my heart. It is not just about recycling or planting trees, it is a movement that calls us to reconnect with the Earth. It is about choices that protect the planet and the way we interact with the world. Act4Earth encourages each one of us to take responsibility for our impact on the environment and to actively advocate for change.”
Mr Martin Raiser, Vice President, World Bank, highlighted the importance of sustainable financing and global cooperation in achieving climate goals. He said, “WSDS is an excellent opportunity and a reflection of ideas and experiences to drive the change we want to see. We see green transition as a driver of investment and growth of jobs. There is no better country in the world than India to drive green transition not only because of its scale and entrepreneurial talent, but also because of the necessity, since India is one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change. We need to think of resilience in terms of reallocation of resources in terms of adaptation of households and businesses.”
