Sustainability Outlook Headlines

MoU signed towards execution of planned actions in time bound manner in 132 cities under National Clean Air Programme(NCAP)

In the presence of Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today by representatives of State Pollution Control Boards, Urban Local Bodies and Institutes of Repute for 132 identified cities for implementation of city specific action plans under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
Speaking on the occasion Shri Javadekar said that concerted efforts are required by the State Governments and all concerned for improving air quality in the country towards realizing the vision of ‘Swatch Bharat, Swatch Vayu... Read more..

Tata Power Delhi Distribution collaborates with Nexcharge to power up India’s First Grid Connected Community Energy Storage System

Tata Power-DDL, a leading Power Distribution utility supplying electricity to a populace of 7 million in North Delhi, collaborated with Nexcharge, a joint venture between Exide India, Leclanché, Switzerland launched India’s First Grid Connected Community Energy Storage System (CESS) in Rani Bagh, New Delhi today.

The Battery Energy Storage System was inaugurated by Shri Satyendar Jain, Hon’ble Power Minister, Govt. of NCT of Delhi in the presence of Mr. Ganesh Srinivasan, CEO, Tata Power-DDL and Stefan Loius, Chief Executive Officer, Nexcharge other senior officials of Tata Power-... Read more..

Investors BlackRock, Vanguard join net zero effort

BOSTON (Reuters) - Top asset managers BlackRock Inc and Vanguard Group Inc have joined an investor push to limit greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, giving new momentum to the effort despite concerns its goals have some wiggle room.

The two largest U.S. fund firms will now account for roughly half of the $32 trillion of total assets supporting the initiative of groups including the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change in Europe and the United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment.

Signatories to the Net Zero Asset Managers  Initiative, now... Read more..

BASF presents roadmap to climate neutrality

BASF is setting itself even more ambitious goals on its journey to climate neutrality and wants to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Based on the most recent progress in developing low-emission and CO2-free technologies, the company is also significantly raising its medium-term 2030 target for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions: BASF now wants to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions worldwide by 25 percent compared with 2018 – and to achieve this despite targeted growth and the construction of a large Verbund site in South China. Excluding the effects of the planned growth, this means... Read more..

China's technology firms explore building zero-carbon internet

Beijing: China's internet industry has seen robust growth in recent decades, but its data centres, large-scale servers and cellular base stations are consuming energy at a faster pace. Hence, China's tech firms have started to work on green solutions.

According to a report by China's State Grid Energy Research Institute, the electricity consumption by data centres alone in 2020 is estimated to exceed 200 billion kWh, accounting for 2.7 per cent of the country's electricity consumption.

By 2030, the data centre electricity consumption in China will exceed 400 billion kWh,... Read more..

Haryana announces subsidy on rooftop solar power plants (4-10kW systems)

Chandigarh: To promote solar energy in Haryana, the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitaran Nigam in Thursday announced a scheme with subsidy of 40 per cent for a three kilowatt plant in homes as per the guidelines of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

A subsidy of 20 per cent subsidy will be for four to 10 KW for installing solar system from listed firms.

Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitaran Nigam Managing Director Balkar Singh said by installing a solar system of one KW, the consumer can save up to Rs 6,000 in a year and the expenditure done for installing this solar system could be... Read more..

Tata Power-DDL partners with Sun Mobility to set up network of swap points in Delhi

New Delhi: Tata Power-DDL, a joint venture of Tata Power and Delhi government, announced its partnership with SunMobility, provider of energy infrastructure platform and services for electric vehicles, to set up a network of battery swap points across North and North-West Delhi.

The company said ìn a statement this initiative is in line with the Delhi ghovernment’s “Switch Delhi” campaign and the partnership aims at setting up a broad network of battery swapping infrastructure that makes swapping accessible to customers at the same scale and ease as conventional refueling.

... Read more..

China to step up financial support for wind and solar power

SHANGHAI (REUTERS) - China said on Thursday it will step up financial support for the development of wind and solar power generation, as part of its efforts to meet its target for carbon emissions cuts.

China would step up financial support to promote the healthy and orderly development of wind and solar power industries, as some renewable energy companies had encountered difficulties in production and operations due to tight cash conditions, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said in a statement on Thursday.

President Xi Jinping last year targeted a steeper cut in rates of... Read more..

Time to Transform - Leading multinational companies set urgent action agenda for all people to live well, within planetary boundaries.

Geneva, Switzerland, 25 March 2021: The world faces three critical challenges: the climate emergency, nature loss and mounting inequality. The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated that these challenges are interconnected, and that our systems are ill-prepared for shocks. As global risks continue to build, business leaders are rallying behind a bold and urgent transformation agenda developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), a CEO-led organization of over 200 leading companies.

Vision 2050: Time to Transform sets a shared vision of a world in which more... Read more..

Mastercard Links Exec Compensation to Sustainability Goals

(Reuters) - Mastercard will link bonuses for its senior executives to environmental, social and corporate-governance initiatives, Chief Executive Officer Michael Miebach said in a note on the payment processor’s website on Wednesday.

The company will link compensations for executive vice presidents and above to helping Mastercard achieve its goals of cutting its carbon usage, improve financial inclusion and gender pay parity.

“The purpose of our incentive compensation programs is to encourage and reward performance that helps us achieve our goals — financial goals, of course... Read more..

Gadkari: Need to develop infrastructure with a green approach

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Nitin Gadkari has stressed that the country needs development but there is a need to maintain ecology and environment, as well. Addressing Virtual National Roads & Highways Summit with “Focus on Green Infrastructure” today, the Minister talked about the key features of green highways, and said that these highways work towards goals of reduction in greenhouse gas emission, carbon footprint, and the use of non-renewable energy sources.

Listing notable initiatives of the Ministry of Road... Read more..

RERC relents, net metering benefits to stay till June 30 till further decision

Jaipur: Buckling under pressure from industry and in view of a possible revision in net metering for load up to 10 kilo watt and gross metering above 10 kilo watt by the Union ministry of power and Central Electricity Authority, the Rajasthan Energy Regulatory Commission (RERC) has deferred implementation of new rooftop solar net metering norms that threatened to affect 90% of the projects.

In an order on Wednesday, RERC said that while the commission proposed to issue finalized regulations in due course of time, it said that to bring regulatory certainty it is clarified that ‘... Read more..