Tamil Nadu's Supriya Sahu wins UN's highest environmental honor for sustainable initiatives

Guwahati: Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary to the Tamil Nadu government, has been named one of the 2025 Champions of the Earth, the United Nations’ highest environmental award.

She was recognised for her work in sustainable cooling and ecosystem restoration.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced her selection, along with four other global winners, during the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi.

Sahu received the award in the Inspiration and Action category, which honours individuals whose initiatives bring measurable benefits to people and the planet.

According to UNEP, her climate projects have created 2.5 million green jobs, expanded forest cover, and introduced heat-adaptation measures in public infrastructure.

These efforts have improved climate resilience for nearly 12 million people in Tamil Nadu. Her work comes at a critical time, as global temperatures are expected to rise beyond 1.5°C in the next decade.

UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen praised Sahu’s leadership and called her approach a model for other regions facing extreme heat.

Andersen said Sahu has brought “the cooling spray of nature” to rapidly warming cities, helping millions, including schoolchildren, cope with high temperatures.

She also underscored Sahu’s focus on reducing reliance on energy-intensive air-conditioning through nature-based solutions.

The Champions of the Earth award, now in its 20th year, recognises individuals and organisations making transformative environmental contributions.

Other 2025 winners include:
• A Pacific Islands youth group that secured a landmark International Court of Justice opinion on climate justice
• Architect Mariam Issoufou for climate-resilient design in the Sahel
• Brazilian research institute Imazon for AI-based deforestation monitoring
• A posthumous lifetime achievement award for methane expert Manfredi Caltagirone

Accepting the award, Sahu said she was deeply humbled and dedicated it to her team and the people of Tamil Nadu. She recalled experiences from her career, such as seeing wildlife affected by plastic in the Nilgiris and observing mangroves protect villages during the 2004 tsunami, which inspired her commitment to nature.

She also thanked the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for supporting climate initiatives and allowing her to contribute to the state’s environmental leadership.

UNEP noted that this year’s winners address some of the world’s urgent climate challenges, including forest conservation, passive cooling, legal climate action, and methane reduction.

With adaptation costs for developing countries expected to reach USD 365 billion annually by 2035, UNEP said the 2025 laureates show that bold, innovative climate action is both necessary and achievable.