Sanju Soman

Sanju Soman, India, is a dynamic and passionate environmentalist dedicated to addressing India’s climate urgency. He is the co-founder and CEO of SUSTERA Foundation, an organization that drives collective action through capacity-building training, campaigns, and policy dialogues to equip communities to adapt better to climate change and build resilience. His expertise extends to climate communication, governance, social entrepreneurship, wetland conservation, and campaigns. As a United Nations India Youth Climate Leader, Sanju has trained over 600 educators in schools on sustainable development and wetland conservation. He has also led a successful startup that upcycled pre-owned sarees into cloth bags, reducing cloth waste and providing an additional income source for women from fishing communities in Alappuzha. In 2018, Sanju and his team at ATREE envisioned and led the project to develop the first model wetland village in Muhamma, Kerala. He has also been recognized as a changemaker by the University of Monterrey as part of MECATE and also served as a Global School Ambassador for the UNSDSN. Sanju’s primary goal is to create a large cohort of young climate experts by identifying potential youth and providing them with the training and network they need to build climate resilience in their communities. He firmly believes that with the proper exposure, training, and network, each one of us has the potential to become a changemaker and drive positive change in the face of the urgent climate crisis. He is committed to harnessing his expertise and experience to empower others to become agents of transformation and help build a more resilient, sustainable future for all communities.