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Sunil Kumar Saxena

Senior Consultant, Guru Nanak Dev Global University

Profile

Dr. Sunil Kumar Saxena is a self-motivated environmental professional with 29 years of extensive experience in environment, eco-restoration, climate change adaptation and mitigation, CSR, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He has a proven track record of leading national projects and developing regional action plans for sustainable development, and is recognized for bridging scientific research with grassroots implementation and policy monitoring.

Core Competencies
  • Climate Strategy: Adaptation and mitigation planning, SDG and NDC monitoring, CSR, ecological sustainability
  • Conservation: Management of Ramsar Sites and wetland ecology
  • Resource Management: Wastewater treatment, air quality improvement, and stubble-burning control
  • Policy & Advocacy: Capacity building for NGOs and development of green growth strategies
Professional Experience

Senior Consultant — Guru Nanak Dev Global University (April 2026 – Present)

Capacity Building Consultant (February 2025 – March 2026) Empowered Punjab-based NGOs on climate change issues affecting agriculture and disseminated success stories on climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Mission Facilitator — Directorate of Environment & Climate Change (June 2021 – January 2025) Developed comprehensive action plans for 10 sub-missions, including Clean Air, Waste Management, and Green Punjab. Monitored annual targets related to the SDGs and R&D, and spearheaded stubble-burning control initiatives using satellite data monitoring.

Principal Scientific Officer — Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (June 2007 – August 2019) Led the NAFCC project on climate-resilient livestock production and managed conservation programs for the Ramsar Sites of Harike, Kanjli, Ropar, and Nangal, with a focus on water quality and biodiversity.

Senior Scientific Officer — Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (September 1995 – June 2007) Led National Environment Awareness Campaigns, established school-based Wetland Education Centres, and worked on community outreach, sustainable livelihoods, and climate knowledge management for impact assessment and capacity building.

Education

Ph.D. in Biosciences — Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi (1992) — Specialization: Microbial Treatment of Wastewater

M.Sc. in Microbiology — G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (1982)

B.Sc. (Botany, Zoology, Chemistry) — Agra University (1979)

Selected Publications

Dr. Saxena has authored and edited numerous reports, books, and research papers over his career. Representative works include:

  • State of Environment Punjab — 2005 (Tiwana, Jerath, Saxena, Nangia & Parwana), PSCST
  • Hundred Medicinal Plants of Punjab, eds. N. Jerath & S.K. Saxena (2004), PSCST
  • Greening Science Education, eds. N. Jerath & S.K. Saxena (2001), UNESCO & PSCST
  • Climate Change Knowledge Management Centre — DST Project Report (Arora, Ladhar, Saxena & Rupali, 2019), PSCST
  • “Impacts of Climate Change on Wetlands” (2009), in Climate Change, Biodiversity and Food Security in the South Asian Region, PSCST & UNESCO
  • “Conservation of Ramsar Sites in Punjab” (2007), Proceedings of the 12th World Lake Conference, Jaipur
  • “Towards Ecologically Sustainable Agriculture: Role of Biofertilizers,” Indian Journal of Environmental Protection, 12(9), 1992
  • “Science Needs a Front Seat,” Current Science, 68(3), 1995