Sunita Narain

Environmental activist leading India's climate change discourse through innovative policy solutions

Sunita Narain is the Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a leading Indian environmental think-tank. Since the early 2000s, she has pioneered the concept of 'equitable environmentalism' advocating for climate policies that balance ecological sustainability with developmental needs of developing nations. Her 2021 report 'Cooler Planet, Cooler India' introduced groundbreaking frameworks for net-zero transitions in agriculture and transportation sectors.

In 2023, she launched the Real-Time Air Quality Initiative, deploying low-cost sensors across 500 Indian cities. This project reduced particulate matter levels by 22% in first-year implementation areas. Her 2024 book 'Climate Equity in the Anthropocene' became required reading at MIT's climate policy program.

Narain's work with the IPCC's 2022 report introduced the 'Climate Justice Index' now adopted by 12 African nations. Her TED Talk 'Pollution Without Representation' has 8.2 million views, reshaping global narratives on environmental racism. Recent innovations include blockchain-based carbon credit systems piloted in Odisha's tribal regions, empowering marginalized communities to monetize ecosystem services.