Mainstreaming Sustainability in Business Planning & Practices   Newsletter | December 2020         TERI Views   Editorial by Arupendra Nath Mullick, Vice President - TERI CBS     Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 crisis calls for urgent actions by individuals, governments and businesses to shape a better, resilient and sustainable world in the future. Amidst the varied response strategies to the pandemic, a Statement to promote policies that can stimulate green growth and create a resilient India was unveiled that outlines a set of 8 priorities for repurposing future business actions. This Statement is a shout-out by 24 Indian CEOs to lend predictability to India’s future development pathways. The Statement intends to enable businesses, civil society and government come together to garner support and accelerate actions. Owing to restrictions and safeguards from the pandemic, virtual platforms were extensively used for the Council’s engagements and convening’s. The engagements with the businesses and member companies of our Council ranged from diverse webinar sessions, sustainability assessments and the India Sustainability Leadership Summit. During this period we witnessed enthused participation of our national and global partners as well as diverse government stakeholders at the state and central levels. We indeed are thankful to the support from all our partners and the companies in the Council’s network in these unprecedented times. Our Council for Business Sustainability serves as the interface for our research work to be connected to the corporate world and enables two-way engagement. TERI CBS engages with the core issue of what businesses must do to shape and lead in sustainability. Your suggestions and feedback remain a constant source of inspiration for us. On the eve of the 2021 Year, we hope that the newsletter provides a good and insightful reading for you.     The equilibrium of attention: Will the supply chain provide impetus to achieving sustainability?   Blog by: Arupendra Nath Mullick (TERI), Pooja Kumar (TERI)     Read More           Upcoming Event   8 January | 14:00-15:30 hrs IST   Workshop on Japanese Low Carbon Technology (Steam System Optimization Program) Venue: Online ERI and Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan with the support of Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) and Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) are pleased to present a webinar on Steam System Optimization for industry. To register for the event click here           CEOs for the Future: 8 Priority Business Actions for a Green Recovery     Twenty business leaders from India have signed a statement that is a 'call to action' that outlines priorities for repurposing business activity to stimulate green growth and create more resilient India in the economic recovery required in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic. To promote policies that can stimulate green growth and create a resilient India, this Statement outlines a set of 8 priorities for repurposing business activity. To know more – Click here To download the Statement – Click here         Highlights from Past Events     TERI and Frost & Sullivan Initiative: India Sustainability Leadership Summit 2020     India Sustainability Leadership Webinar: Transition Pathways to a High Share of Renewables in the Indian Power Sector by 2030     Around the World in Sustainable Development   Cooling India with Energy Efficient Solutions With rapid urbanisation and a growing population, there is a demand for sustainable, clean, and energy efficient cooling solutions. Access to cooling has become a development need and an equality issue. The interplay of a variety of factors is important to understand in order to encourage energy efficiency in cooling.     Climate future for the next 20 years will be driven by what Asia does As promised by President-Elect Joe Biden, the world awaits January 20, 2021 for the United States of America to join back the Paris Agreement. To understand and analyse recent developments involving the world's major emitters, TERI organized a discussion on ‘Global Politics in an Era of Disruption: Insights from the US, EU and China'.     Unilever to put its climate change plans to shareholder vote Shareholders will vote at the company’s annual general meeting on May 5 on measures including plans to cut emissions from its operations to net zero by 2030 and to halve the environmental impact of its products.     Centre to help study climate crisis impact on Himalayas IMD is likely to have 10 weather radars for the Himalayan region in India by next year and also an airborne lidar observation to measure glacier volume periodically.     For India to meet its nationally determined contributions on climate change, states must be involved NDCs do involve the states as partners. But for ambitious mitigation plans, they will have to further devise their own plans, suited to their own structure of emissions, state characteristics and development agenda.       IN-FOCUS   Industry Charter for Near Zero Emission Ambition by 2050 On 24th September 2020, amidst a pandemic raging in the foreground and an ever-deepening climate change crisis in the background, six leading market players from Indian Industry voluntarily came together to pledge for near zero emissions by 2050. They committed to pursue a set of vigorous decarbonization measures, both at the company level and collectively, to set an example for industry peers to contribute in meeting the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Click here to see the business leaders share their thoughts on the Industry Charter To download the charter click here To know more click here.   TERI launches portal for businesses to self-assess and improve renewable energy consumption (PRAMAAN) On 9th October 2020, TERI launched PRAMAAN - Portal for Renewable Energy Action Assessment Metrics, in the presence of representatives from various industries and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. The portal is an online rating tool for assessment of an organisation's actions around renewable power consumption. It provides a set of indicators for an organisation to assess its progress in moving towards a low-carbon future and can be used as a framework to prioritise electricity options, assess risks, identify opportunities, set targets and develop a sustainable energy roadmap. All commercial and industrial entities including medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs), large corporates interested in assessment of their progress in renewable energy transition and strengthening their renewables policy can participate in the PRAMAAN rating.   TERI Reports on Energy Transition The following reports were launched by Shri RK Singh, Honourable Minister of State (IC) of Power and Renewable Energy, and Minister of State, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India. The report launches, were followed by a technical discussion, as a part of the 'Virtual Sustainable Action Dialogue on Energy Transition', a pre-event of the World Sustainable Development Summit, TERI's annual flagship event that is to be held in February 2021. a) TERI Report: 'Renewable Power Pathways: Modelling the Integration of Wind and Solar in India by 2030' India can integrate more than 30% of wind and solar in its power system, while still maintaining security of supply and without raising the total economic costs of its electricity system Click here to download full report b)TERI Report: 'Bending the Curve: 2025 Forecasts for Electricity Demand by Sector and State in the Light of the COVID Epidemic' The demand for electricity in India is expected to be 7 to 17% lower by 2025 due to the COVID-19 economic shock, than it would have been in a scenario without the COVID-19 shock. The wide range of potential outcomes represents the high degree of uncertainty around the pace of the economic recovery from the shock. Click here to download full report     TERI Video Bytes   COP 26 webinar series organized by TERI, in partnership with the British High Commission, New Delhi The four-day COP-26 online series from December 1-4, 2020 was hosted by TERI, in partnership with British High Commission, New Delhi. As a part of the series, strategies to fast-track electric mobility, nature-based solutions, green finance and adaptation and resilience were discussed between government, business and civil society representatives from both countries. Takeaways and recordings of the events are shared below: a) Future of E-Mobility in India: Strategies to Drive Demand b) Green Finance for Enhanced Climate Ambition c) Role of Nature based Solutions in Carbon Sequestration: An opportunity to be explored d) Adaptation and Resilience: Towards Resilience Countries, Communities and Corporates     Reports, Policy Briefs and Publications:       SDGs still remain relevant for accelerating focussed sustainability actions by Indian businesses The discussion paper titled 'SDGs still remain relevant for accelerating focussed sustainability actions by Indian businesses' articulates a Call-to-Action for Indian businesses to act on SDGs, particularly in the post-COVID-19 world. By means of its six key messages it illustrates and demonstrates the need and the ways to apply SDG lens to business strategy and actions in order to design focused sustainability actions; and the results that businesses can achieve by internalising the SDGs.       Make Hydrogen in India: Driving India towards the clean energy technology frontier The energy transition in India is continuing at an unprecedented pace and scale, requiring new low-carbon technologies. However, so far, India has had somewhat limited success in capturing the manufacturing benefits of certain clean energy technologies such as solar PV and batteries. TERI sees green hydrogen as the next 'clean energy prize', which will require coordinated action from industry and government for India to capture the benefits. In the transition to a carbon neutral economy, hydrogen can provide a supplementary role to renewables and batteries.       Greening Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery in India: A Case for Green Fiscal Stimulus Recovery packages provide opportunity to take much awaited steps to green the economy in sectors that have the maximum impact on sustainable development. Both sustenance and sustainability have to be the cornerstones of economic recovery as India responds to this crisis. The paper aims to serve the constructivist function of facilitating discussion on the topic of greening post COVID-19 economic recovery so that they are more aligned to sustainable development.       Plastic Waste Management: Turning Challenges into Opportunities The invention of plastics came as a blessing, but single-use plastics or those uneconomical for collection and recycling, in association with lack of awareness and poor solid waste management in cities, has resulted in its littering and finally reaching the marine environment from land-based sources. There are still challenges associated with the recycling of collected plastics, as well as environmental challenges associated with mismanaged plastics.