TERI’s SDLA 2025 Highlights the Need for Decisive Climate Leadership
Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and Ms Marina Silva honoured for pioneering contributions to climate action and sustainability
New Delhi, 17 March 2025: The recently concluded World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2025, the annual flagship event hosted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) from March 5 to 7, 2025 in New Delhi, brought together global leaders, policymakers, climate experts, and industry representatives to deliberate on pressing environmental challenges and chart pathways for a resilient future. As a premier global platform for sustainability dialogue, WSDS 2025 fostered critical discussions on climate action, resource efficiency, and equitable development, reaffirming the urgency of global collaboration to mitigate environmental concerns.
A highlight of WSDS 2025 was the presentation of the prestigious Sustainable Development Leadership Award (SDLA) to Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, Hon’ble Vice President, Guyana, and Ms Marina Silva, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Brazil, for their transformative contribution to sustainability, climate policy, and forest conservation. H.E. Brigadier (Retd) Mark Phillips, Hon’ble Prime Minister, Guyana, accepted the award on behalf of Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.
The award ceremony was attended by Shri Bhupender Yadav, Hon’ble Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India; Mr Nitin Desai, Chairman, TERI, and Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI. Mr Desai and Dr Dhawan emphasized that the SDLA 2025 awardees exemplify sustainability leadership, inspiring the world to take bold action toward a just and sustainable future.
Dr Jagdeo, through Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, has pioneered climate action, sustainable forest management, and digital transformation initiatives. His leadership has helped Guyana become one of the world’s most forested nations, with its forests storing 19.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, playing a crucial role as a carbon sink.
“Despite challenges, Guyana stands as a testament to what is possible when leadership, partnerships, and innovation converge in the pursuit of sustainability,” H.E. Brigadier (Retd) Mark Phillips said, while accepting the award on behalf of Dr Jagdeo. “With our Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, we remain a leader in climate action, ensuring that our development trajectory aligns with global sustainability goals,” he added.
Ms Marina Silva, the other eminent awardee, emphasized Brazil’s leadership in climate finance and Amazon conservation. She highlighted Brazil’s efforts in advocating for climate finance expansion, particularly through the Tropical Forests Forever mechanism, and promoting international collaboration at the G20 level through a structured dialogue between finance and environment ministers. She also introduced the Global Ethical Stocktake, a new initiative aimed at fostering inclusive climate decision-making across diverse global stakeholders.
“As we move toward COP30, Brazil seeks to lead by example. In Baku, we announced our commitment to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 59% to 67% by 2035, based on 2005 levels. COP30 must be the COP of accelerated implementation, ensuring that the commitments made in Dubai and Baku translate into concrete actions,” Ms Silva highlighted in her speech.
Since its inception in 2005, SDLA has recognized visionary global leaders shaping sustainability agendas. Some of the eminent recipients in the past include Michael Bloomberg (2022), Prof Jeffrey Sachs (2020), Josaia V Bainimarama (2019), Pawan Kumar Chamling (2016), Dr José Manuel Durão Barroso (2015), Anand Mahindra (2014), Dr Manmohan Singh (2011), Ban Ki-moon (2009), Arnold Schwarzenegger (2007), and Dr Shoichiro Toyoda (2005). This prestigious award has continually honoured leaders whose ground-breaking initiatives have driven meaningful climate action and policy transformation worldwide.
With the successful conclusion of WSDS 2025, TERI reaffirmed its commitment to fostering global dialogue and actionable solutions in the fight against climate change.