PRESS RELEASE
CLOSING EVENT OF THE CLIMATE ACTION MONTH 2025
Chief Guest:
Tmt. Supriya Sahu, I.A.S., Additional Chief Secretary,
Department of Environment and Climate Change,
Government of Tamil Nadu.
31 July 2025
Chennai (For immediate release)
CAG’s Climate Action Month 2025 concludes with powerful calls for climate justice and legal reform.
Climate Action Month 2025 drew to a close on 31 July 2025, with a closing seminar titled “Law and Climate Justice: Paving the Path to a Sustainable Future”, hosted at the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University (TNDALU). The event was co-organised by the Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG) and the Department of Environmental Law and Legal Order, TNDALU.
Ms Saroja, Executive Director of CAG, described the event as the “culmination of a month-long journey of engagement, awareness, and collaboration,” bringing together diverse voices and reaching out to over 6,000 Chennai-ites. There were as many as fifty events held across the city throughout July, including CAG’s flagship event, Kuppai Thiruvizha, a vibrant zero-waste carnival which brought together vendors showcasing sustainable alternatives and local innovations for low-waste living. From school corridors to public spaces, from art-based engagements to technical roundtables and nature walks, the month was an effort to make climate conversations accessible, urgent, and hopeful for people from all walks of life.
The keynote address at the event was delivered by Ms. Supriya Sahu, I.A.S., Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Tamil Nadu. Ms.Sahu urged students to pledge their commitment to protecting the planet, especially emphasising the harmful effects of plastic pollution on both terrestrial and marine life, all of which ultimately impact human health.
Ms. Sahu reminded the audience of impactful climate actions such as avoiding single-use plastics, composting kitchen waste, and celebrating festivals in eco-friendly ways, underscoring that small everyday choices can lead to significant environmental change, stating that “Every time you refuse a plastic bag, you become a climate superhero.”
Prof. (Dr.) V. Balaji, Dean, School of Excellence in Law, and Prof. (Dr.) R. Haritha Devi, Head In-Charge, Department of Environmental Law and Legal Order, presided over the event. Youth voices were featured during the event, as winners of an oratorical competition titled ‘If climate were a person, what would they sue us for?’, shared compelling perspectives on climate justice and sustainability.
With Chennai facing increasing risks due to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and sea-level rise, CAM 2025 focused on building public action while demanding systemic solutions. The closing seminar of CAM 2025 reinforced that climate justice must be legally grounded, with robust frameworks that protect vulnerable communities and promote equity.
The message was clear: a sustainable and just future can only be realised when citizens, governments, and institutions work hand-in-hand and when law and governance are positioned as active tools for climate resilience.
For further information, please contact:
Vamsi Kapilavai
+91 9493892929 | vamsishankar.kapilavai@cag.org.in
About CAG: Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG) is a thirty-nine-year-old non-profit, non-political and professional organisation that works towards protecting citizens' rights in consumer and environmental issues and promoting good governance processes, including transparency, accountability and participatory decision-making.