ANNOUNCEMENTS
The UNESCO Chair Programme, established in 1992, is a global initiative designed to strengthen international collaboration in higher education, research, and knowledge exchange. It brings together universities worldwide to advance UNESCO’s mission in education, science, culture, and communication. At TERI SAS, a range of programmes, projects, and events are conducted primarily by the Department of Natural and Applied Sciences as it is in alignment with UNESCO’s themes of sustainability, climate action, and innovation in science and education.
Dr. T. P. Singh is the UNESCO Chair Professor for Climate Science and Policy at the TERI School of Advanced Studies and a Distinguished Fellow at TERI. With over 40 years of leadership experience, he has worked extensively in natural resource management and diplomacy, climate change, illegal wildlife trade, and environmental governance.
A former officer of the Indian Forest Service, Dr. Singh has held senior positions with the Government of India and international organizations, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and TRAFFIC International. He was the founding Director of TERI School of Advanced Studies and has contributed globally as a Lead Author for IPCC reports and as an expert with IPBES.
Based for over two decades in the IUCN Asia Regional Office in Bangkok, he brings deep regional expertise across South and Southeast Asia and Oceania, working closely with governments, civil society organizations, and donor agencies.
On July 25, 2025, the Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, TERI SAS, hosted the Roots to Resilience Seminar in collaboration with UNESCO, UNEP, and Akashvani to mark the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem. Dr Benno Boer (UNESCO) emphasized the role of mangroves as naturebased solutions, while Dr Sumit Sharma (UNEP) shared global initiatives for marine conservation. Mr Deepak Joshi (Akashvani & Doordarshan) highlighted the importance of inclusive climate messaging, and Prof. Deepak Samuel underscored the role of blue carbon ecosystems in promoting esilience.
The project investigates the opportunities and challenges facing India in its pursuit of sustainable development and a leadership role in the global green economy. The research helps frame, design, and guide sustainable development policies and business practices.
TERI SAS is glad to have partnered with UNESCO and UNEP to celebrate World Environment Day on the theme Ending Plastic Pollution. It is a growing concern that the Himalayan Region is seeing a rise in plastic accumulation due to rising tourism and reduction in plastic consumption is not in site. Urgent action is required in making new products from used plastics and reducing our growing dumping sites. Happy to have a part of the august gathering.
The project investigates the opportunities and challenges facing India in its pursuit of sustainable development and a leadership role in the global green economy. The research helps frame, design, and guide sustainable development policies and business practices.
Three batches of the training programme were conducted for participants belonging to 28 island councils of Maldives in August (2024), November (2024) and April-May (2025). The participants were accompanied by officials from the Maldives Clean Environment Project, Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Maldives.
The training programmes aimed at providing holistic exposure to the participants on the approaches, policy frameworks, institutional strategies, models, processes and compliance related to waste management. Two days of field visits were organised to waste management facilities to provide an exposure of the operations and maintenance of vehicles, machinery and facilities.
On April 25, 2025, The Society for Heritage and Ecological Research (SHER), supported by UNESCO and in association with TERI SAS, New Delhi, organized a vibrant workshop at BaghBon Multipurpose Community Centre, Pakhiralay Village, Gosaba, Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve, India on “Empowering young minds for a sustainable future: Tracking climate data in the heart of the sundarbans”.
The event brought together 20 bright students and 4 passionate teachers from local schools to
• Understand the basics of Climate Science and Sustainable Development Goals
• Learn how to track climate data using mobile apps and field experiments
• Explore Citizen Science and the power of community-driven data collection.
This comprehensive investigation into the ecohydrological dynamics of the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve (SBR) presents a portrait of a globally significant ecosystem at a critical crossroads. The report, drawing on extensive analysis from 1990 to 2024 with projections to 2050, reveals an environment undergoing profound transformation due to a confluence of climate change, altered hydrology, and intense anthropogenic pressures. While the Sundarbans remains a vital carbon sink and a sanctuary for immense biodiversity, including iconic protected species such as the Bengal tiger and estuarine crocodile, its resilience is being tested, and its ecological functions are approaching critical thresholds...Read more
The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon (VDHM) 2025, scheduled on October 18, 2025, at JLN Stadium, New Delhi, represented a pivotal intersection of urban sports and ecology. As marathon events surge in popularity within urban settings, they generate significant community engagement and public health benefits while placing intricate pressures on local biodiversity and ecosystems. In response to this duality, VDHM 2025 has adopted a pioneering "net-positive" ecological approach, moving beyond conventional event management practices. This report introduces an advanced Environmental Impact Assessment...Read more
