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US Acting Assistant Secretary of State promotes US-India environmental collaboration
During her visit to Chennai, Littlejohn toured First Solar’s manufacturing plant in Sriperumbudur.
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Jennifer R. Littlejohn (in the center) with U.S. Consul General Chennai Chris Hodges; Anna University Centre for Water Resources Professor Dr R. Saravanan; Anna University Centre for International Relations Director Dr Bhaskaran; and Anna University Registrar Dr J. Prakash. / US Embassy in India
The United States Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Jennifer R. Littlejohn, visited Chennai on Aug. 22 and 23 to engage with civic leaders, businesses, and academic institutions.
The discussions focused on U.S.-India cooperation in science, green technology, and climate resilience. It included discussions on initiatives like river restoration through the Ambassador’s Water Experts Program.
Littlejohn said, “U.S.-India collaboration in science and technology is crucial to solving our world’s greatest challenges, from protecting biodiversity to combatting the climate crisis. It’s also a key element of our bilateral relationship under the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).”
“Chennai demonstrates the power of this collaboration! From new innovations in solar and green technologies to the Ambassador’s Water Experts Program (AWEP) that supports Chennai in its goal to green its waterways, together we can achieve prosperity and build resilient futures,” she added.
During her visit to Chennai, Littlejohn toured First Solar’s manufacturing plant in Sriperumbudur, where she engaged with senior executives on solar energy technology and sustainability practices.
At IIT Madras Research Park, she explored facilities focused on green technology and space startups and participated in a roundtable with green technology entrepreneurs. The discussions aimed to foster innovation and collaboration in environmental solutions, in anticipation of a planned partnership between the U.S. Consulate and IIT Madras Research Park to support green tech-driven innovation and ecosystems.
In a meeting with Chennai Mayor R. Priya, Littlejohn, along with Chennai Consul General Chris Hodges, highlighted the significance of freshwater ecosystems—such as rivers, lakes, and wetlands—in climate change mitigation and adaptation. They emphasized the importance of sustainable water management in urban planning and environmental stewardship.
Littlejohn reaffirmed the United States' commitment to partnering with Chennai through the Ambassador’s Water Experts Program, which seeks to help the city adopt best practices for river restoration by leveraging sister-city relationships and other collaborations.
She also met with representatives from river restoration and environmental civil society groups, as well as alumni of U.S. Department of State exchange programs, to discuss collaborative efforts in advancing sustainable practices.
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