The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) organized by the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) was held in a virtual format on 16-18 February 2022. The Summit deliberations focused on the umbrella theme "Towards a Resilient Planet: Ensuring a Sustainable and Equitable Future".

WSDS is the annual flagship initiative of TERI. Instituted in 2001, the Summit series has marked 20 years in its journey of making ‘sustainable development’ a globally shared goal. Over the years, the Summit series has brought together 52 Heads of State and Government, 13 Nobel Laureates, 78 Ministers, 1827 Business Leaders, 2418 Speakers, and 26091 Delegates.

The onslaught of extreme weather events around the world have brought to the forefront how human well-being and the health of our planet are inextricably linked. Just and equitable implementation of climate and environmental policies need to go hand in hand with broader sustainable development objectives. The present state of planetary health along with pandemic driven socioeconomic crises call for a revisit on questions related to global ambition and measures for sustainable development. Responses to the pandemic should be viewed from the perspective of planetary resilience, and must be right for humans as well as for Planet Earth.

The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has in successive reports made it clear that global warming needs to be restricted to 1.5 degrees failing which the consequences would be disastrous. This is notwithstanding the effort of three decades starting with the agreement on setting up of the United Nations Framework for Climate Change (UNFCC) , the initial hope from the Kyoto Protocol and the optimism from the more recent landmark Paris Agreement of 2015.

The book, Dr RK Pachauri: The Crusader Against Climate Change, was released at the plenary session on 18 Feb. It is the second book of commemorating Dr. Pachauri, the late former President of IPCC. Ms. Jin Lan, Executive Director of the International Mayors Communication Centre and Secretary General of the Global Mayors Forum, wrote an article "A memory of his external light shining in the sky: a tribute to Dr. Rajendra Kumar Pachauri", which is included in the book together with other works from Dr. Pachauri's family, friends and colleagues.

Dr. R.K. Pachauri made a speech at an event of Protect Our Planet Movement", calling on young people to take actions against climate change.

The Summit has witnessed numerous partnerships that have promised to strengthen our collective endeavours towards imagining a sustainable and environmentally secure future. The key speakers are from international organizations, governments, business industry, research and academia, civil society and youth groups. 

Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, Dr. Youba Sokona, IPCC Vice President, Ms. Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of United Nations Global Compact, Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General of the Energy and Resources Institute, Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Mr. John Kerry, United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, Mr. John Roome, Regional Director of South Asia Sustainable Development World Bank, Mr. Petteri Taalas, Secretary General of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and many other important delegates made the key speeches. 

On behalf of the Open Green City Laboratory, Ms. Lily Jin Lan and Ms. Anna CHen, the High Commissioner attended the Summit. Dr. Pachauri is the Chairman of Open Green City Laboratory.

Note: some of the above text and photo are from teriin.org.