Environmental conservation work in India

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16 Dec 2008
Indian companies move towards low carbon economy

• Indian companies provide voluntary report on their carbon emissions
• 61 companies including 28 from the energy intensive sector report on how they have integrated the long –term effects of climate change into their financial assessment
• Most significant change from last years’ disclosure process is the marked improvement in the quality of information that the companies are now willing to share

New Delhi, December 16, 2008: Close to 125 senior leaders from business and industry met here today at an event to mark the release of the second report of the India Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) 2008. The event was organized by World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF-India) and is an outcome of a years’ hardwork of measuring and reporting of carbon emissions by the top companies of India. The disclosure process was was carried out by WWF-India in partnership with The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development.

“The report demonstrates that there has been positive and proactive attitude among the Indian companies towards addressing the challenges of climate change”, said Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India, while releasing the report. “It shows an encouraging trend that companies are not only aware of the various threats and risks presented by climate change, but are also becoming increasingly sensitive towards its commercial and financial opportunities. It is heartening to see that there has been a marked improvement both in terms of quantity and quality of disclosures.” He further elaborated that companies from 17 sectors, including 9 from high impact sectors were a part of the disclosure process.

Mr Shyam Saran, PM’s Special Envoy on Climate Change speaking at the release said , “We welcome this initiative (Carbon Disclosure Project) as it aims to inform and educate corporates about the urgency to mainstream Climate Change related issues in their work.” Mr. Saran, added “The National Action Plan on Climate Change released by the Government aims to work on the entire gamut of such issues through its well defined eight National missions.”

Mr. Saran pointed out that in order to ensure that energy does not become a constraint on India’s economy growth, it was necessary to make a strategic shift from carbon and fossil fuel-based growth to growth based on renewables and non-Conventional energy. This is also what is required to deal with the challenge of climate change.

Describing the concept of carbon disclosure and its importance, Paul Simpson, Chief Operating Officer of the CDP said: “It is very promising to see an increase in the number of Indian companies responding to the Carbon Disclosure Project this year. This demonstrates an increase in awareness and understanding amongst Indian corporations with regards to the risks and opportunities climate change presents to their businesses which are increasing in significance year- on- year and we expect that
more Indian companies will become engaged with tackling climate change over the next few years.”

The results of the second CDP India Report 2008 represents a continuity of the positive start from 2007.Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Tata Power, Ambuja Cements, State Bank of India and HPCL are few companies that came on board this year. Key findings of the report say that a large percentage (80%) of the companies don’t consider existing regulatory mechanisms as a risk but rather as an opportunity for triggering long term investment in energy efficient technologies. However, these companies do acknowledge that in future, the regulations may affect their businesses. 40% of the companies acknowledge physical risks such as damage, disruption and displacement resulting due to climate change as some of the major challenges that could result in financial losses. On the other hand, close to 75% of the organizations have either taken up or have planned to manage or mitigate risks due to climate change by formulating relevant policies, changing operations, design and consumption patterns as well as strengthening supply chains and shifting to cleaner fuels.

Mr. Neeraj Swaroop, Regional CEO India & South Asia, Standard Chartered, India, talked about the role of financial sector for a shift towards a low carbon economy. He said ‘Standard Chartered has worked with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) globally for a number of years, and I am delighted that we are sponsoring the launch of the CDP India Report 2008. India is one of Standard Chartered’s largest markets, and we are already seeing the impacts of climate change. The CDP plays a critical role in ensuring that the risks and opportunities associated with climate change are considered by companies and reported in a consistent and comparable way, and gives investors the opportunity to make informed choices.”

The second CDP report has clearly brought out that while all companies acknowledge that climate change has become an imperative, some of them have seized this an opportunity and are already taking initiatives to start monitoring and reporting but this also paves the way for many more companies who need to grasp the opportunity.

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Notes for Editors:

About CDP
CDP is an independent not-for-profit organisation which was established in 2000 to facilitate dialogue between companies and investors, supported by quality information, from which a rational response to climate change will emerge. The Carbon Disclosure Project is a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in New York, with 501(c) 3 charitable status. The group of investors is not a legal entity and the Carbon Disclosure Project has no authority to make any other statement on behalf of the participants.
www.cdproject.net 
 
About CESD
This pioneering effort of CII was launched in January 2006. It creates an enabling climate for Indian businesses to pursue sustainability goals by promoting thought leadership and building capacity to achieve sustainability across a gamut of issues to implement India’s agenda for inclusive growth. The Centre enables business to transform themselves by embedding concepts of sustainable development into their strategies, decisions and processes.
www.sustainabledevelopment.in  

For more information, please contact:
Anshuman Atroley,
Communications Manager, WWF-India
Tel: 98101 69262,
E-mail: aatroley@wwfindia.net 
» Read more
11 Dec 2008
Indian Companies with solutions that the World Needs
New Delhi, 11th Dec, 08: As the global negotiation on climate policy continue to unveil and steps towards stalemate, a new report by WWF and CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CESD) brings out successful stories of how Indian businesses are using innovation as a driver for sustainability and profit. The report, released during the CII Sustainability Summit ’08 highlights how successful organisations are bringing forward solutions to tackle twin challenges of poverty and climate change.

Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry, described the report as a major step towards sustainability and innovation, and said “Sustainable business and social entrepreneurship will shape future economic growth for the world and that the businesses featured in this report reflect the incredible potential in the alignment of sustainable development needs and business value”. He added, “the cases outlined are stories of great determination to achieve sustainable practices, but they also showcase the huge opportunities that emerge from such practices’.

With a special focus on climate change, this report stresses the need for rapid global emission reductions as the driver for new thinking. It provides examples from Indian companies that can be used both by industry and governments to make strategic decisions from an economic, social and environmental perspective. It demonstrates through case studies how leading Indian companies are integrating low carbon development into their strategies and targeting sustainability without losing sight of core business objectives.

Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India, speaking to the press at the release noted, “Through this report we are attempting to bring forward a special focus on climate change and the need for rapid global emission reductions as a driver for new thinking where leading companies must integrate poverty alleviation and low carbon development in their strategies”.

He added, “Climate change is still only the tip of an iceberg as we must ensure a more resource efficient development if we are to ensure biodiversity and avoid an ecological crisis that would make the current financial crisis pale in comparison”.


(Ends)

About CESD:
This pioneering effort of CII was launched in January 2006. It creates an enabling climate for Indian businesses to pursue sustainability goals by promoting thought leadership and building capacity to achieve sustainability across a gamut of issues to implement India’s agenda for inclusive growth. The Centre enables business to transform themselves by embedding concepts of sustainable development into their strategies, decisions and processes.
www.sustainabledevelopment.in

For more information, please contact:
Aarti Khosla, Communications Manager, Climate & Energy Programme, WWF-India
E-mail: akhosla@wwfindia.net , Tel: +91-11-4150 4823

Sachin Joshi, Deputy Director, CII – ITC CESD, E-mail:sachin.joshi@ciionline.org
» Read more
10 Dec 2008
Young Climate Savers Website Launched
A WWF-India & Tetra Pak initiative
Hyderabad, December 10, 2008: After the successful completion of Phase 1 of the Young Climate Savers (YCS) initiative, WWF-India and Tetra Pak announced the launch of the YCS website, in Hyderabad today. This website is the first Indian website for school students on climate change and energy education.

Honorable Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly, Shri. KR Suresh Reddy formally launched the website at a function held at the Bhaskar Auditorium, Birla Science Centre here. Shri. Jayesh Ranjan (IAS), Managing Director, AP Tourism Development Board, a personality well-known and respected for his support in the field of climate change education and awareness programme, also graced the occasion, amongst other dignitaries from WWF-India, Tetra Pak and teachers, students from various schools.

About the Young Climate Savers Programme:
Young Climate Savers is a programme launched with an aim to create awareness across the student fraternity in India on climate change, and through them to reach out to the larger community and to influence them to become ‘climate savers’. WWF-India partnered with Tetra Pak in implementing the Young Climate Savers program. Following up on its commitment to emission reduction, and realizing the importance of educating children on climate change, Tetra Pak partnered with WWF-India in November 2007 for the Young Climate Savers program. The YCS is an education for sustainable development initiative aiming to educate 20,000 school children across India, and through them, to reach out and influence a larger audience on the impacts of climate change and the importance of mitigating it. The YCS initiative is envisioned to be implemented over the course of several years.

YCS Phase 1 reaches to over 20000 students at over 200 schools in India.

“The rate at which climate change is taking place is extremely alarming. While we take pride in the fact that our packaging is environment friendly, we strongly believe that collective effort is what will finally make a difference. Our partnership with WWF reiterates our commitment to create awareness and motivate the young to promote and lead energy efficient and environmentally sensitive lives. Over the past year, we have achieved our target of 20,000 students and now want to reach out to a larger national and international audience with the launch of the YCS Website.” added Mr. Jaideep Gokhale, Programme Head- Food for Development Office & Environment, Tetra Pak India Pvt. Ltd.

For more information, please contact:
Mr. Satya Kumar Pamula,
Integral PR Services Pvt. Ltd.,
Mobile: +91-98480 18923
e-mail: satya@integralpr.com

Ms. Farida Tampal,
WWF-India,
e-mail: ftampal@wwfindia.net
» Read more

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