Supriya Sahu Wins UN Champions Of The Earth Award For 2025

IAS officer Supriya Sahu has been named a 2025 UN Champions of the Earth laureate in recognition of her transformative environmental leadership. Honoured in the Inspiration and Action category, she received the award at a UNEP ceremony in Nairobi, marking a global acknowledgement of her pioneering work across conservation, climate resilience and sustainable cooling.

Global Recognition For Environmental Leadership

The award celebrates individuals and institutions offering scalable solutions to the planet’s environmental challenges. Sahu’s initiatives span plastic reduction, wildlife conservation and innovative cooling technologies. UNEP highlighted her long-standing contributions as exemplary in addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

Cool Roof Project As A Model For Heat Mitigation

Tamil Nadu’s Cool Roof Project, developed under her leadership, has gained international attention. In Chennai’s Lighthouse Project site, high-reflective cool roof paint was applied across 200 houses, reducing indoor temperatures by 5 to 8 degrees Celsius during peak summers. UNEP described the intervention as a game changer, demonstrating how passive cooling can reduce energy demand and protect vulnerable communities.

Vision Of People-Centred Climate Action

In her acceptance remarks, Sahu emphasised the importance of collective responsibility in climate action. She noted that lasting environmental change is rooted in community participation and drew on experiences from the Nilgiris and the 2004 tsunami to underline the protective power of nature. Her message underscored the need for governments and citizens to work together to combat environmental degradation.

Exam Oriented Facts

• Supriya Sahu is a 2025 UN Champions of the Earth laureate.
• Awarded in the Inspiration and Action category by UNEP.
• Cool Roof Project reduced indoor heat by 5–8°C in Chennai trials.
• The initiative forms part of Tamil Nadu’s Urban Heat Mitigation strategy.

State Recognition And Broader Impact

Tamil Nadu’s leadership praised her work, noting contributions to wetland restoration, mangrove expansion, species protection and plastic reduction. The honour reinforces the state’s growing role in sustainable development and places Sahu’s initiatives at the centre of global discussions on climate-resilient urban planning and community-focused environmental action.