The final day of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2026, organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), closed on a powerful note of reflection and renewed commitment, as leaders from government, multilateral institutions, business, and civil society gathered for the Valedictory Session titled, “Reflections, Resurgence, and Resolve for Our Common Future.”
Held at the iconic Durbar Hall, the concluding session reinforced WSDS 2026 as a platform that not only convenes global voices but catalyses tangible climate action.
The Valedictory brought together a distinguished line-up of speakers who underscored that the next phase of climate action must be defined by accountability, implementation, and intergenerational leadership.
Mr Tanmay Kumar, Secretary (Environment, Forest and Climate Change), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, shared, “Climate change is no longer a subject of environmental debate alone. It is a defining challenge of
development, governance, security, and human well-being. India’s approach is science-anchored and equity-aware, where we align clean energy with livelihood security, embed resilience in rural and urban schemes, and ensure those responsible for emissions are the ones who must change. While the developed world industrialized through high emissions and cleaned up later, India is attempting something far more complex to grow, eradicate poverty, urbanize, industrialize, and decarbonize simultaneously. We refuse to solve yesterday’s poverty by creating tomorrow’s ecological crisis. Our journey with per capita emissions at just ~2 tonnes per year (far below global averages) proves that clean energy is not charity. It is competitiveness driven by economics. We have achieved our 2030 target of 50% non-fossil installed power capacity in June 2025, five years ahead of schedule, with the share now exceeding 51%. We believe the future is not inherited by accident but is secured by intention. Together, with humility, science, and justice, we will secure it.”
Ms Dia Mirza, Goodwill Ambassador, United Nations Environment Programme, said, “Climate change is not gender neutral. Women and girls experience its impacts most acutely, even as they grow much of the world’s food and sustain families and communities. Yet they remain underrepresented in climate and energy decision-making. Sustainability today is no longer a choice but the foundation of survival, dignity, and peace. Engaging with nature is not a luxury but a necessity for every individual.”
Ms Isabelle Tschan, Deputy Resident Representative, United Nations Development Programme, shared, “With nearly 65% of India’s population under the age of 35, youth participation and leadership are central to shaping how sustainability is practised across communities and institutions. In this spirit, UNDP is partnering with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and TERI to launch the Mission LiFE Youth Ambassadors programme”.
Ms Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-Founder & Chairperson, Sustainability, ReNew, observed, “Development and climate are no longer parallel agendas; they are the same agenda. Clean energy is not a nice-to-do; it is an economic imperative. The global South is no longer asking for permission; it is offering solutions. What we commit to matters, but what we do collectively, and between summits, matters even more. This Summit is not a moment; it is a mandate to act.”
Dr Ash Pachauri, Co-Founder and Senior Mentor, POP (Protect Our Planet) Movement, “As we come together to mark 25 years of WSDS at the very place where it began, we celebrate not only a remarkable legacy, but a shared responsibility for what lies ahead. This journey has been shaped by vision, wisdom, values, and powerful voices that have built awareness and endurance over the years. Yet, this moment asks a deeper question: what will we do with all that we have learned? Today is not just a celebration of the past; it is the first day of the rest of our lives.”
Ms Prachi Shevgaonkar, Founder, Cool The Globe, shared, “My journey with the World Sustainable Development Summit began when I was a young student who felt overwhelmed by the scale of climate change and unsure of what one ordinary person could do. I chose to begin with
small, practical actions and to make sustainability part of daily life. What started as a personal effort in my dorm room grew into a shared mission, supported by citizens across 150 countries.”
Mr Nitin Desai, Chairman, TERI, said, “At WSDS, we reaffirm that sustainable development cannot be driven by uniform goals alone. Governments cannot act in isolation; progress requires shared learning among institutions, researchers, businesses, and communities working on the ground. This platform enables the exchange of experiences, builds understanding, and strengthens cooperation.”
Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, said, “WSDS is about building pathways of opportunity, not merely responding to crisis. In today’s complex world with shrinking resources, partnerships are essential – we cannot reinvent the wheel. We must adapt existing research to our requirements and move forward collaboratively. The outcome of this summit holds perhaps even greater significance than recent global forums.”
Dr Shailly Kedia, Curator, WSDS; Director, TERI, highlighted, “This year, we broke all records with 2,381 unique participants, 10 plenaries, 14 thematic tracks, and a defining feature Him-CONNECT which showcased not just voices but solutions from the Himalayas, one of the world’s most vulnerable regions. Over these years, we’ve evolved from broad agenda-setting conversations to sharper, solution-oriented engagement”.
The Valedictory featured a series of significant knowledge and youth-led launches. The 18th edition of Vasundhara — “Climate Capital” — the student-led sustainability magazine of TERI School of Advanced Studies, was unveiled, spotlighting fresh youth perspectives on climate, environment, and sustainable development. The Summit also marked the release of the Act4Earth Manifesto, reinforcing collective commitments towards accelerated climate action emanating from the Summit. Adding to the intellectual discourse, The Politics of Sustainable Development authored by Mr Nitin Desai, Chairman, TERI, was formally launched. The WSDS 2026 Summit Report was presented by Dr Shailly Kedia, Curator, WSDS, & Director, TERI, which captured key insights and outcomes from the three-day deliberations.
Running parallel through the day, TerraZone, WSDS’s sustainability expo, showcased transformative initiatives by partners and TERI across clean technology, nature-based solutions, and circular economy models.
Him-CONNECT, curated by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, spotlighted Himalayan innovation and resilience, bringing mountain ecosystems and community-led solutions into the global sustainability discourse.
As WSDS 2026 drew to a close, the message was unequivocal: the climate decade demands convergence — of finance and fairness, innovation and inclusion, ambition and accountability.
With renewed resolve and strengthened partnerships, WSDS once again reaffirmed its role as a global platform advancing transformative climate action for a shared and sustainable future.
About the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS)
The World Sustainable Development Summit is TERI’s flagship annual event, providing a global platform for leaders and stakeholders to deliberate solutions for sustainable development, climate action, and inclusive growth. Over the past 25 years, WSDS has emerged as a key forum shaping global sustainability narratives.
About TERI
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), based in India, is an independent, multi-dimensional research organization with capabilities in policy research, technology development, and implementation. An innovator and agent of change in the energy, environment, climate change and sustainability space, TERI has pioneered conversations and action in these areas for nearly five decades. Headquartered in New Delhi, it has centres in six Indian cities and is supported by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, sociologists, economists, engineers, administrative professionals, and state-of-the-art infrastructure.
