Piyush Verma is the Chief Technical Advisor – Sustainable Energy at UNDP Samoa Multi-country Office and formerly served as Senior Advisor – Energy Governance at UNDP New York, leading just energy transition efforts for 170+ countries.
As a global expert in energy, climate, and sustainability policy, Piyush has extensive experience at the intersection of technology, economy, society, and governance. He has contributed to national energy and climate policies, working closely with governments in India, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Ireland, and the USA before joining UNDP in July 2022.
In 2018, Piyush was selected as a Global Future Energy Leader by the World Energy Council, London. Between 2018 and 2022, he led and contributed to various international projects at the Council, earning a ‘Gold Badge’ for his extensive contributions and collaborations with over 50 countries globally. Additionally, he chaired the Joint Task Force on Digitalization in Energy at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva from 2021 to 2022, playing a key role in establishing and operationalizing this task force to leverage digital technologies in accelerating the energy transition process towards net zero in 54 member countries across Europe and Central Asia.
Piyush has an extensive publication record with over 40 articles, reports, policy briefs, and op-eds on diverse energy and climate policy issues. He has been a contributor or commentator in news media, including The Times of India, DD News India, Irish Times, Irish Examiner, RTE Ireland, Irish Tech News, and The Sunday Times UK. He is also a prolific public speaker, having presented at high-level energy, climate, and sustainability forums in more than 40 countries, including major events at intergovernmental platforms.
He has been recognized with the University of Auckland’s Gold Level Leadership and Service Award in 2018 and was awarded the Young Achiever Alumnus Award 2024 by the National Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur, India. He was elevated to grade of Senior Member of IEEE, USA in 2024. He has also been appointed as the Senior Fellow under the Viksit Bharat (Developed India) Fellowship 2025 by the Bluekraft Digital Foundation, New Delhi, India.
Piyush holds Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Master’s degree in Power System Engineering from India and a PhD in Energy Technology and Policy from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He also completed a Master in Public Administration as a prestigious Edward S. Mason Fellow from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, USA.
