TERI Launches Nitin Desai’s The Politics of Sustainable Development: An Insider’s Perspective

Book offers an insider’s account of how the global sustainable development agenda was shaped, say experts at the launch

New Delhi, 16 October 2026: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) today launched The Politics of Sustainable Development: An Insider’s Perspective, a book by Shri Nitin Desai, Chairman, TERI, and former UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, at Jacaranda Hall, India Habitat Centre. The book is published by TERI.

The Politics of Sustainable Development: An Insider’s Perspective by Nitin Desai offers a first-hand account of the evolution of sustainable development as a global policy framework. Drawing on his extensive experience with the United Nations, including his roles at the Rio Earth Summit (1992) and the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (2002), Desai provides an insider’s view of the negotiations, political dynamics and competing interests that shaped the global sustainable development agenda.

The book traces the journey from the Brundtland Commission and Rio to subsequent global discussions on poverty, finance, trade, climate change and sustainable development. It brings together Desai’s reflections, speeches, statements, interviews and contributions to the discourse, highlighting the need to integrate economic, social and environmental priorities and move from global commitments to meaningful implementation.

The launch was followed by a panel discussion on the book moderated by Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri, Former Ambassador and Distinguished Fellow, TERI, with Shri Jairam Ramesh, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and former Minister of Environment; Dr Ashok Khosla, Environmentalist; Dr Rakesh Mohan, Economist and Distinguished Fellow, CSEP; Shri Ajay Shankar, Distinguished Fellow, TERI; and Ms Leena Nandan, Distinguished Fellow, TERI. Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, said, “It is a privilege for TERI to bring out this important work by Shri Nitin Desai, Chairman, Governing Council, TERI, whose contributions have helped shape international thinking and negotiations on sustainable development. This book provides a rare insider’s perspective on the people, processes, and political considerations behind some of the defining moments in the global sustainability discourse. At a time when the world is grappling with increasingly complex development challenges, Desai’s reflections are particularly valuable in reminding us of the importance of dialogue, cooperation, and implementation.”

Shri Nitin Desai, Chairman, TERI, shared: “An effective environmental policy must enhance the prospects for development and human welfare. A successful development policy must enable an improvement in the quality of the environment. When the topsoil is washed away, forests are denuded, waters get polluted, and the prospects for development are eroded. Equally, when incomes stagnate or decline, resources flow out and terms of trade deteriorate, the options available for environmental action are reduced.”

As the moderator of the panel discussion, Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri set the context and shared, “Climate change and the need for sustainable development are recognized by most as the defining challenge of our times. Collaboration and working together should be the obvious answer. But politics can’t be left aside. Shri Nitin Desai, who was one of the architects of the Rio process and the ideas of sustainability has done us yeoman service in recalling the political challenges then and now in moving to ensuring sustainable development. We at TERI are particularly honoured having him as our Chairman and guiding this institution which is one of the pioneers of sustainability in the Global South.”

Shri Jairam Ramesh remarked, “Nitin Desai shaped the global discourse on ecological issues very profoundly in the 1980s and 1990s. This memoir is not just educative of the past but a valuable guide for present actions to shape a more sustainable future.”

Dr Ashok Khosla highlighted, “In this highly readable account, Nitin Desai draws on his firsthand experience to illuminate the North–South, East–West, rich–poor, and science–policy dimensions that propelled sustainability from the political margins to the heart of global concern.”

Dr Rakesh Mohan noted, “It is seldom that professionals and technocrats like us give this kind of a document, which describes the processes of discussions that go into big things, and the kind of behind-the-scenes work, plus bargaining and everything that takes place. And this is, I think, an incredible service that Nitin has done in documenting this.”

Shri Ajay Shankar added, “I am glad you are persuaded to write this book because this is a very valuable piece of work, because scholars and younger people will get hold of the original text of declarations. But getting an insider’s view of how that happened is not always available. Very often, we get insiders’ views which are, I would say, less than objective. This has avoided all that. It is a very honest description of what transpired.”

Ms Leena Nandan averred, “Shri Desai’s book gives a fascinating glimpse into the realpolitik of sustainable development. Right from analysing the perspective of various stakeholders, to recounting flashpoints that had a make-or-break potential, the book is a compelling read. The historical context unfolds masterfully; the conclusion, with its pragmatic and lucid articulation of how the future needs to be shaped, is both insightful and enriching.”