PRESS RELEASE
Closing ceremony of Climate Action Month 2026 (Edition 5)
Speakers:
Dr Thirumurugan P, Wetlands Expert,
Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company, Government of Tamil Nadu
Ms. Eswari, Civil Engineer, Tamil Nadu Wetland Mission
31 July 2026
Chennai (For immediate release)
CAG’s Climate Action Month 2026 concludes with powerful calls for climate awareness and action.
Climate Action Month (CAM) 2026 drew to a close on 31 July 2026, having organised more than 37 events across Chennai, engaging over 6,000 participants through school and college programmes, expert discussions, workshops, nature walks, waste audits, traditional knowledge sessions, and community activities. The month also sparked lasting institutional action, with the Madras School of Social Work (MSSW), for example, establishing a new Eco Club to sustain climate awareness and environmental initiatives on campus beyond Climate Action Month. Each initiative strengthened our shared commitment to building a more sustainable and climate-resilient future. Each initiative strengthened our shared commitment to building a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.
Ms Saroja, Executive Director of CAG, emphasised that even small actions can help mitigate climate change. Once seen as a distant threat, climate change now affects our daily lives. As the future generation, students have an important responsibility to understand these challenges and take action. CAG’s flagship event, Kuppai Thiruvizha, a vibrant zero-waste carnival, brought together vendors showcasing sustainable alternatives and local innovations for low-waste living. From school corridors to public spaces, from art-based engagements to nature walks, the month was an effort to make climate conversations accessible, urgent, and hopeful for people from all walks of life.
Highlighting the growing climate crisis, Dr Thirumurugan P, Wetlands Expert, Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company, Government of Tamil Nadu, noted that while climate change is invisible, its effects are impossible to ignore. As an example, he pointed out that the recent Super El Niño brought severe heatwaves, with a TNGCC study warning that at least 60% of the State’s population could face water scarcity in the coming years.
The importance of protecting natural ecosystems was reinforced by Ms Eswari, Civil Engineer, Tamil Nadu Wetland Mission, who emphasised that wetlands are essential for flood mitigation, water security, and biodiversity conservation. She urged against wetland encroachments in violation of the Environmental Protection Act and highlighted Tamil Nadu's leadership in wetland conservation, noting that the state is home to 20 Ramsar sites—the highest in India.
Delivering the presidential address, Ms Gunavathy, Principal of Madras School of Social Work, called on participants to become more aware, responsible, and committed champions of the green cause, reinforcing the importance of sustained individual and collective action.
With Chennai facing increasing challenges from rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, water scarcity, and sea-level rise, Climate Action Month 2026 focused on creating greater awareness and encouraging meaningful climate action among citizens. As an ongoing annual initiative, Climate Action Month will continue to raise awareness, foster collaboration, and inspire individuals, institutions, and communities to build a more climate-resilient future.
The closing event reinforces a simple but powerful message: climate action begins with each one of us. Every informed choice, every sustainable practice, and every collective effort contributes towards protecting our environment.
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 forty-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.