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Showcasing Higher Education’s Role in Climate Leadership
Bengaluru, 3 June 2025: O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) released its Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025 at the Bengaluru Sustainability Conclave on Tuesday, 3 June 2025. The report showcases the university’s ongoing commitment to sustainability across research, teaching, operations, and community initiatives. With a focus on real impact, JGU has strengthened its alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The release function was marked by the presence of Shri. Thawaar Chand Gehlot, Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka, who officially released the report as a Chief Guest at the Conclave.
Shri Thawaar Chand Gehlot, Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka, remarked, “I am delighted that O.P. Jindal Global University and RV University have come together to inaugurate the Bengaluru Sustainability Conference and launch the Sustainable Development Conclave (SDR) 2025. To achieve the SDG goals, multi-stakeholder cooperation is essential. These goals remain a primary focus, and we in the government have been working assiduously to achieve them at the grassroots level through programmes like Make in India, Swachh Bharat, and others in water, health, farmer support, and state initiatives. Bengaluru, known as India’s Silicon Valley and a centre of science and research, is facing many challenges and stress on its resources. It is important that knowledge sharing, cooperation, and information exchange help mitigate the challenges of climate change. The growing carbon footprint, pollution, deforestation, and other factors have led to a climate crisis, and it is imperative that we address these issues urgently. We need to inform and sensitize people about them. Our campaigns to save energy, water, and other resources are aimed at protecting the environment. O.P. Jindal Global University has been working determinedly towards environmental sustainability and protection, and this is a very laudable step. This report is timely and important for fulfilling our responsibility towards achieving the SDGs.”
In the past year, JGU has made significant progress in research contributions, with an increase in sustainability-related research output and global recognition through citations in major policy documents. Student-led initiatives, new sustainability-focused degree programs, and international collaborations further emphasize JGU’s holistic approach to responsible education. The university’s campus has become a hub for innovation, featuring improved water conservation efforts, a pioneering e-waste management partnership, and health-focused dining reforms. The efforts to reduce our carbon footprint have led to reduction in total emissions across Scope 1 and Scope 2 categories.
Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University, stated, “It is with great pride and purpose that I announce the release of the Sustainable Development Report 2025 of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU). This report stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to embedding sustainability at the heart of higher education. It captures the breadth of our efforts—from environmental stewardship and social impact to academic innovation and institutional accountability. As a global university, sustainability is not just a goal—it is a guiding principle that shapes our teaching, research, campus life, community engagement, and governance. This report offers a transparent, data-driven reflection of that journey.”
Dr. (H.C.) A. V. S. Murthy, Chancellor, RV University, said, “It is important to achieve the sustainable development goals by maximizing the impact of multi-stakeholder partnerships for sharing and cooperation. India, with its 1.4 million people, is a nation with vast potential for achieving the SDGs. It is about transforming aspirations, mental realities especially for the most vulnerable. We have seen a growing recognition that no single entity, the government or the private sector, academia or social civil society, can solve complex development challenges. What we need today are partnerships that are inclusive, purpose-driven and built on shared ideas as a cornerstone of sustainable development. For instance, a developmental agency might support a university’s research in exchange for policy relevant insights. Or integrate cross-sector partnerships, where multiple entities combine their unique strengths to tackle a shared challenge. These partnerships demand careful planning, mutual respect and strong governance for systemic change. In these cases, the challenge will be complex and multi-dimensional, requiring adaptive thinking, innovation and deep negotiation between diverse perspectives. Technology can be a strong ally here, enabling real time monitoring, transparent data sharing and participating feedback groups that give voice to any stakeholder. The world has finite resources but infinite possibilities. We need to ensure that no child is left without education, no women without community, and no village without opportunity”
The report underscores the importance of paying attention to how every initiative undertaken at the university can contribute to sustainability, climate action, or social impact, and recognizing the interconnectedness of these goals. Higher education institutions have a responsibility to serve as models for environmental stewardship, as much as any other organisation. JGU is integrating sustainability across academic and administrative units to inspire the next generation of global leaders, not just through research and teaching but our policies and processes as well.
Professor Padmanabha Ramanujam, Dean, Office of Academic Governance, JGU, added, “The Sustainable Development Report is a testament to O.P. Jindal Global University’s unwavering commitment to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through inclusive, ethical, and forward-looking higher education. At JGU, we believe sustainability is a collective responsibility—woven into our governance, pedagogy, and institutional culture. This report reflects our vision for fostering responsible innovation and shaping leaders who are committed to building a more just, equitable, and sustainable world.”
The Bengaluru Sustainability Conclave also featured a panel discussion on “Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals: Maximising the impact of multi-stakeholder partnerships through knowledge sharing and cooperation”, bringing together senior leaders from various backgrounds and industries from across India. The panel was chaired by Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, with distinguished speakers Ms. Bhawana Pingali, Founder, REVASTRA; Prof. (Dr.) Dwarika Prasad Uniyal, Vice Chancellor (in-charge), RV University; Ms. Jyotsna Belliappa, Founder & Director, BlueSky Sustainable Business; Ms. Megha Arora, Partner IndusLaw; Mr. Panduranga Acharya, General Counsel Zepto; Mr. Prashanth Sabeshan, Partner Dentons Link Legal; and Ms. Smitha Chandrashekaraiah, Legal Director HARMAN International.
In his concluding remarks on the report, Professor R. Sudarshan, Dean, Jindal School of Government & Public Policy, JGU, said, “The launch of the report speaks volumes about how democracy and the political process can transform a country as India has from being very hierarchical to a more inclusive nation. There is no scope for complacency in our goal to protect the environment. The SDG 2025 report helps inform and changes attitudes towards climate change especially amongst academia and students.”
In his address, Justice Michael D. Wilson, Hon’ble former Judge of the Supreme Court of Hawai’i, USA, spoke about how we are entering a climate hell and elaborated on the damage that climate change and extreme events have caused, bringing distress and destruction to his native state.
Looking forward, JGU is committed to deeper integration of sustainability in every aspect of university life. The University envisions an ecosystem where students have access to cutting-edge resources and targeted mentorship, to be able to expand their focus and contribute to large-scale global challenges through cross-sectoral partnerships.
