New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) will be organising 23rd edition of World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) from February 7-9 at the India Habitat Centre here that will see assembly of leaders, policymakers and experts to engage in discussions, share innovative solutions, and formulate strategies which prioritize not only environmental sustainability but also social equity.

In the backdrop of ever-growing conflict situation, planetary crisis, and sliding back of key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the summit will be convened under the umbrella theme of ‘Leadership for Sustainable Development and Climate Justice’ and aims to highlight the crucial role visionary leadership plays in steering the world towards a path of sustainability.

In addition to the inaugural and valedictory, the summit will have 11 plenary sessions. It will also include high-level sessions on women leadership, businesses, and youth.

The summit is expected to be inaugurated by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, accompanied by Brigadier (retd) Mark Phillips, Prime Minister of Guyana, and Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Speakers at the summit include Vatimi Rayalu, Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways, Fiji; Willie Tokataake, Minister, Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy, Kiribati; Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa, government of India; Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, Minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Spain; Martin Raiser, Vice President for South Asia Region, The World Bank; Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Environment, Sri Lanka; and Hoesung Lee, former Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Emphasizing on the urgent need to amplify the voices of Global South, Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, underscored, “The theme for the summit underscores the imperative for decisive action, visionary leadership, and collective responsibility.”

Highlighting the pivotal role of WSDS in advancing discussions on sustainable development and climate action, Shailly Kedia, Curator, WSDS, and Senior Fellow, TERI, emphasised, “Key challenges confronting the world include planetary crises, sliding back of key sustainable development goals and the ever-growing conflict situation threatening world peace.”