June 5, 2025 – Washington, D.C. — In celebration of World Environment Day, the STAR Scholars Network is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Gopi Upreti as the Environmental and Climate Policy Laureate, a prestigious honorary position recognizing exemplary academic leadership in global environmental and climate policy.
This timely announcement underscores STAR’s commitment to environmental justice, sustainability, and scholarly engagement in response to the planet’s most pressing ecological challenges. Dr. Upreti’s appointment comes as a call to action for academic institutions and policy leaders to collaborate in building an ethically grounded and ecologically regenerative future.
As Environmental and Climate Policy Laureate, Dr. Upreti will serve as a thought leader in four critical domains:
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Reframing environmental policy as a civilizational imperative;
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Embedding development ethics and ecological justice in governance;
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Advancing regenerative circular economy models inspired by nature;
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Guiding the civilizational shift from the Anthropocene to the Symbiocene.
His academic and research priorities include integrating traditional ecological knowledge into climate adaptation research, promoting sustainability education across disciplines, validating indigenous agroecological practices, and advancing equitable renewable energy solutions. Dr. Upreti is uniquely positioned to mobilize a global network of scholars, students, and practitioners committed to transforming environmental policy through interdisciplinary research and ethical leadership.
“We are honored to welcome Dr. Gopi Upreti to this vital role,” said Dr. Uttam Gaulee, President of the STAR Scholars Network. “Announcing this appointment on World Environment Day reaffirms our collective responsibility to elevate environmental scholarship and policy action. Dr. Upreti brings visionary insight and deep commitment to ecological justice, and we are confident that his leadership will inspire meaningful global collaboration.”
The Environmental and Climate Policy Laureate program reflects STAR’s strategic vision of bridging academic excellence with policy innovation. Dr. Upreti’s appointment further strengthens STAR’s efforts to lead transformative dialogue on climate change and sustainability at the intersection of education, equity, and global governance.
To learn more about the STAR Laureates program, visit: www.starscholars.org