Sustainability Outlook Headlines

India-UK ink pacts on sustainable finance

India and the UK signed agreements on Wednesday on financial services, infrastructure and sustainable finance at the 10th Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) between the two countries. UK chancellor Rishi Sunak and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman held discussions on working together to deal with the global economic impact of the coronavirus and tackling climate change through sustainable finance. “The UK’s economic and financial relationship with India has never been more important with the global... Read more..

Union Cabinet approves nationwide project for rehabilitation and improvement of dams worth Rs. 10,211 crore

The Union Cabinet approved externally aided DRIP Phase II and Phase III in its meeting held on October 29, 2020. The project will initially cover Nineteen (19) States and three (3) Central Agencies. The Budget Outlay is Rs 10,211 Cr for an implementation period of ten (10) years. The scheme will be implemented in two Phases, each of six (6) years duration, with two (2) years’ overlap. The programme will fund physical rehabilitation of key dams as well as capacity building of dam operators in order to ensure... Read more..

KKR launches platform to acquire renewable energy assets in India

Global investment firm KKR today launched Virescent Infrastructure, a newly-created platform to acquire renewable energy assets in India. Headquartered in Mumbai, Virescent aims to expand its portfolio of operational renewable energy assets, facilitated by investments predominantly made through KKR’s infrastructure fund. Virescent will identify investment opportunities that have stable cash flows stemming from long-term contracts with state and central government counterparties across India. It currently owns... Read more..

87 per cent households have access to grid-connected power; some still don't use electricity: Survey

A majority of households (87 per cent) in India have access to grid-connect electricity, while the remaining 13 per cent are either using non-grid sources for power or "do not use any electricity at all", according to a survey. The finding is part of the joint survey conducted by government think-tank NITI Aayog and the US-based philanthropic organisation Rockefeller Foundation on 'Electricity Access and Benchmarking of Distribution Utilities.' "Overall 87 per cent respondents said they have access to grid-... Read more..

Infosys becomes carbon neutral; outlines ESG vision for 2030

India's second largest software services firm Infosys on Wednesday said it has turned carbon neutral, three decades ahead of the timeline set by the Paris Agreement for 2050. The Bengaluru-based company also announced 'Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Vision for 2030' as part of its commitments focused across core areas of climate change, technology for good, diversity and inclusion, energising local communities, ethics and transparency, data privacy and information management. "Infosys has always... Read more..

Air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Centre issues ordinance to form new commission to replace SC-mandated EPCA

The union environment ministry has published “The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Area Ordinance” on Thursday for air pollution control in Delhi-NCR. The commission has an objective of implementing a consolidated approach to monitoring, tackling and eliminating causes of air pollution in Delhi-NCR by coordinating with state governments. The commission will be a statutory authority that will replace the 22-year-old Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution... Read more..

Policy focus on e-mobility, clean fuels: PM Modi

India’s energy policy will focus on greater efforts to move towards a gas-based economy, cleaner fuels, electric mobility and renewable energy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. The policy will be industry friendly and growth oriented but energy should be affordable and reliable so it empowers people and improves their lives, Modi said. “India's Energy Plan aims to ensure energy justice. That too while fully following our global commitments for sustainable growth,” he said at the India Energy Forum by CERAWeek, where petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, US secretary of energy... Read more..

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to hold flagship green energy event from November 26-28

The third edition of RE Invest, the flagship event of the ministry of new and renewable energy, will take place virtually from November 26 to 28. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the event on November 26, sources said. In the first RE Invest which was held in 2015, investment commitments were sought from the industry and other global investors in energy. MNRE decided to shift its focus in its second RE Invest which it held in October 2018. It was an open-ended discussion on the state of the industry, rather than an effort to raise funds. The November event is likely... Read more..

Pandemic likely to delay penetration of electric vehicles: Ind-Ra

The coronavirus pandemic is expected to delay the penetration of electric vehicles in India, as low affordability and the government's priority on reviving existing conventional automobile industry shift the focus away from EVs in the interim, according to rating firm Ind-Ra.

The passenger vehicles (PVs) segment of e-mobility will face a double whammy, as consumers... Read more..

Sustainable Processing of Municipal Solid Waste: ‘Waste to Wealth’

With an ever increasing population and rapid pace of urbanization, the country is facing a huge challenge of waste management. The volume of waste is projected to rise from the present 62 million tonnes to about 150 million tonnes by 2030. Indiscriminate dumping of garbage at the current rate without appropriate scientific treatment, would impose huge requirement of landfill area per year. This necessitates the importance of scientific solid waste management in today’s context.

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Delhi Pollution: Air Quality Degrades to ‘Severe’ Category on Dussehra, Likely to Improve Next Week

As the winter air settles lower and lower every day, Delhi’s air quality left residents gasping on Sunday as it moved to ‘severe’ category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded above 400 at several locations.

Areas like Mundka, Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Vivek Vihar and Bawana were among a few with “severe” levels of air pollution, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) authorities said. The AQI at Anand... Read more..

Goa: Fulfil solar power target by 2022, anti-coal activists tell govt

Goyant Kolso Naka on Friday demanded that the government, instead of pushing for new power transmission lines by damaging Mollem forest, should concentrate on effecting a transition to solar power at the earliest to meet the energy requirements of the state. This, the forum said, would besides making the state self-sufficient in power generation and help Goa earn revenue from selling surplus power, would also generate self-employment avenues across all villages and towns in Goa for installation of solar power units.

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