Creating A Climate for Sustainable Business

Since providing a clean and healthy environment for its citizens is at the forefront of the Government of India’s agenda, leveraging technologies for crop harvesting and utilisation of farm residue and waste management can help reduce air pollution. The government needs to provide fiscal and technological support to farmers and entrepreneurs to help them use such solutions effectively.

India must also work towards water security by enabling a comprehensive framework for management of water resources. This should allow adequate availability of water for citizens, agriculture, ecology, environment, and economic development. While efforts should be focused in enabling long term sustainability of groundwater resources and encouraging the use of recycled water by industries, the government should drive participation from consumers and private sector to support the operation and maintenance of water infrastructure.

Sustainability Initiatives

Renewable Energy

India's energy consumption is on a constant rise and the focus is on moving towards sourcing energy from cleaner and efficient sources to reduce depletion of conventional means. The National Council on Renewable Energy at ASSOCHAM aims at highlighting and solving issues that make the transition of energy to newer sources an effortless process. The council is a group of eminent industry leaders across the country. The stakeholders involved in the council are RE developers, Solar Module Manufacturers, Generators, Consultants, associations etc.

E-Mobility

The global automotive industry is at the cusp of a paradigm shift from internal combustion engine vehicles to zero emission vehicles. This is primarily due to the stringent regulatory interventions by governments worldwide in response to increasing greenhouse gas emissions and depleting air quality. India, too, is actively going ahead for cost-effective and viable solutions to the problem of poor air quality in several cities. With the Government of India's plan to introduce electric vehicle in a big way and to produce only electric vehicle by 2030, the electric mobility sector has assumed major significance. Thus, it is imperative for these stakeholders to come together to drive EV adoption. In a similar way, the government needs to consider the holistic EV ecosystem while developing the regulatory agenda. This Council aims at putting forth industry issues before the Government for smooth transition to Electric Vehicles as it would present challenges for the stakeholders. The Council undertakes policy and regulatory issues of the members and organizes discussions on various business opportunities that the sector offers for investments and in planning for the shift to EV.

Environment and Climate Change

ASSOCHAM National Council on Environment and Climate Change is targeted to be the voice of the organizations that have been working in these fronts incessantly for many years. The council with the support of chief HSSE officers from innovative companies, sustainability consultants, environment professionals, and related stake holders from all around the globe is set towards the noble cause. One of many aspects of the council involves capacity building, training programs and workshops related to environment policies, sustainability reporting, stakeholder engagement, climate change, government advisory and consultative services. It would result in providing a forum to share ideas and best practices. Members are encouraged to discuss how they work to deliver products and solutions along these principles at their core and how they can help integrating environment and climate change ethics into R&D, strategy, and marketing functions.

Alternate Fuel

Alternative fuel is considered to be the least expensive energy source since the country has the capability to produce it with the basic raw material, which makes the production economical compared to fossil fuels. Also, Increasing the production of alternative fuels will further reduce the dependency on imports, lower down the cost of fuels & carbon emission. The future of energy consumption is based on alternative fuel resources and distribution infrastructure. The council has been constituted to bring forth the issue and concerns of the industry to the Government and to integrate major players of blending & alternative fuels on national level to strategize in making India, self-reliant in energy sector.