Mainstreaming Sustainability in Business Planning & Practices   Newsletter | December 2018       TERI Views   Editorial by Arupendra Nath Mullick, Vice President - TERI CBS     This time of the year is marked by the annual climate conference held under the auspices of United Nations and announcements of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. At the Katowice Climate Change Conference, we witnessed debate over the recent 1.5°C Report and formation of the Rule Book for the Paris Agreement. These engulfed the attention of global leaders, government, businesses and policy researchers. A thought piece by Mr R R Rashmi (Distinguished Fellow, TERI) captures the proceedings from Poland and highlights the implications for India. On the other hand, the Industry Leaders 2018 list of DJSI featuring Tata Steel adds to the recognition for the efforts of Indian businesses in advancing the sustainability agenda. Our Council for Business Sustainability serves as the interface for our research work to be connected to the corporate world and enables a two-way communication and engagement. TERI CBS engages with the core issue of what businesses must do to shape and lead in sustainability. The year 2018 witnessed several meaningful engagements with companies in our Council network – 6 thought leadership webinars, one knowledge report, an array of knowledge articles and blogs, an active Forum with Chief Sustainability Officers, two industry platforms on Energy Transition and Waste-Proofing, and several topical discussion sessions and events. This has been possible with your active participation and continued support. To accelerate your access and enrich your sustainability journey, we have updated our website with details of our initiatives. Please visit http://cbs.teriin.org/ We hope that our third newsletter of FY 18-19 provides a good and insightful reading for you. And we look forward to your suggestions and opinions.     Reimagining the Role of the Chief Sustainability Officer     Anirban Ghosh, Chief Sustainability officer, Mahindra Group   Read More         Upcoming Event highlights   11-13 Feb | India Habitat Centre, New Delhi   World Sustainable Development Summit 2019         For further details on planned CBS engagements please click here       Around the World in Sustainable Development   Conservation is everybody’s business Valuation of ecosystem benefits is key to making firms and the masses know that conservation is critical to their survival.     Business as Nature: A conscious leap towards Sustainability The private sector, which accounts for 60% of global GDP and is the main cause of global warming (a mere 100 companies cause 71% of global emissions), must take the lead in dealing with climate change and enabling sustainable development.     From waste to resource: the magic of circular economy By 2050, there will be 10 billion people on the planet. Given the growing scarcity of natural resources like fresh water, oil or copper, one could ask: How will businesses survive, or how will humans survive?     L&T eyes pie of $200 bn solar power project in Saudi Arabia Engineering and construction conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is planning to bid for an EPC contract for a section of the $200 billion solar project in Saudi Arabia to be built with the backing of Japan’s SoftBank.     Companies line up plans for lithium-ion batteries production Over a dozen companies, ranging from auto component manufacturers to power and energy solutions providers, have rolled out plans to make lithiumion batteries locally, to cash in on the rush for green vehicles.     Tata Steel tops Dow Jones sustainability index Tata Steel has been ranked first in the Dow Jones sustainability index 2018, making it the only domestic company to emerge as a winner among all 60 sectors evaluated for the ranking.   How the cement industry is helping India meet its climate goals Given the cement industry’s achievements in energy efficiency and use of fly ash and steel industry slag, taking alternative fuel usage, including the existing commitment to use plastic waste, to the European level of 40% by 2025 should be worth attempting.       Highlights from Past Events     Webinar on 'How cool are Green Buildings in India?''   Date: 10 October 2018   Venue: Online   Given India's commitment under the Paris Agreement and the Kigali Agreement, there is a surge in the usage of HVAC systems in India is being coupled with the potential to embed energy efficiency features and use of cost-effective low GWP refrigerants. The National Building Code has requirements on the use of zero-ODP and low-GWP refrigerants. In the green building space this assumes immense importance. This webinar was focused on this transition and captured the leadership initiatives among Indian businesses.       TERI’s Consortium on Waste-Proofing the Future     TERI’s Consortium on Waste-Proofing the Future is an initiative of its Council for Business Sustainability, one of whose objectives is to seek business solutions to national problems. This Consortium aims to collaboratively find solutions to manage waste sustainably by identifying the technological, institutional and policy interventions that are required. It will address the issues surrounding various waste streams such as municipal waste, agricultural waste, packaging waste, industrial waste, C&D waste, e-waste and waste water. Concept Note Introductory presentation     IN-FOCUS   New rules, old games Thought piece on Katowice Climate Conference, December 2018 by R R Rashmi (Distinguished Fellow, TERI) ‘Climate conferences convened at the end of each year under the auspices of the United Nations never fail to be dramatic. The one that concluded in Katowice, Poland, last week, lived up to this expectation.’   ‘Unpacking the climate negotiations at COP24 – week 1’ The Energy and Resources Institute is attending the 24th Conference of the Parties (COP 24) in Katowice, Poland from 2nd to 14th December 2018. This is a summary of developments over the course of week 1, and an analysis of what can be expected for week 2.   Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited at COP-24 Katowice, Poland Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited was one of the two Non-Party Stakeholder invitee at the opening session of the High-Level Global Climate Action took place on 4th Dec. in COP-24. The event was focused on embracing the inclusive multiculturalism in the context of global climate action and Paris Climate Agreement.       Publications     India's ambition is substantial in social, political and environmental terms: Key messages from India's NDC India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) must be seen in a holistic manner, the aim being to achieve sustainable development within the framework of 8 quantitative and qualitative NDCs.       Making Liveable Cities: Challenges and Way Forward for India This policy brief is an outcome of the Policy Dialogues and documents key recommendations on urban planning frameworks, strengthening local urban governance, financing and implementation mechanisms, urban innovation, and strengthening partnerships; with a view to contribute to the National Urbanization Policy being drafted presently by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.       Coal Transition in India: In the coal vs renewables question in India, a more flexible power system can help manage a progressive transition, according to TERI's new discussion paper 'Coal Transition in India'         A-Z of Sustainability The updated A-Z Sustainability list will be available at the TERI CBS website by January 15th, 2019