Saving Earth, and ourselves

This virtual conclave stems from the announcement India made of pledging to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070 at the Conference of Parties (COP26) Climate Summit held recently in Glasgow

The Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (BCCI) virtual two-day discussion, Sustainability Conclave: Target Net Zero, will see key industry voices and stakeholders debate climate change from an Indian perspective. This discussion stems from the pledge that India made at the recently concluded Conference of Parties (COP26) Climate Summit in Glasgow to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070.

Founded in 1836 by seven British nationals and three Parsis, the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry is one of India's oldest chambers with a rich history. It was responsible for Asia's first railway journey from Bombay to Thana (Thane) on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (today's Central Railway) and has played a significant role in supporting the development of industries in Mumbai over decades.

Amitabh Kant and Bhupendra Yadav

The conclave will feature industry leaders who will participate in panel discussions around creating a sustainable India. It will kickstart with keynote speaker Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, while on the second day Bhupendra Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Labour and Employment, will helm the discussion.

Kant will speak about sustainability not being an option, but necessity. Echoing his point, Anjali Bansal, president, BCCI, says, "Sustainability will be for the next 20 years what digitisation was for the last 20. Similarly, businesses will have to innovate and integrate sustainable practices across their value chains. Integrated business models are emerging that are sustainable with respect to both, the environment, as well as capital and returns. Corporate stakeholders, including consumers, employees, investors as well as the government are emphasising the importance of sustainability, as it redefines sectors by disrupting consumption and production, shifting profit pools and creating new opportunities."

Anjali Bansal

The discussion topics include the need for funding in sustainability, making net zero real and how technology can play a role. Sunil Mathur, MD and CEO of Siemens Ltd, Dr Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), and Mridula Ramesh, author of Watershed, and founder of Sustainability Climate Institute, are some of the participating speakers.

On: December 10 and 11, 5 pm to 8 pm
Log on to: bombaychamber.com to register