Pratyush Kumar Panda

Are Indian Financial Institutions Ready for the Climate Transition? 🌍 The latest CDP report reveals significant gaps and opportunities for Indian financial institutions (FIs) in their climate transition plans. Key Highlights: ▪ 94% of Indian FIs report having board-level oversight of climate transition plans. ▪Only 27% have plans aligned with a 1.5°C world. ▪A staggering INR 1,007 billion in potential financial losses from climate-related risks has been identified, but this is likely underestimated. Did you know only one Indian financial institution has set a target to cut emissions from their investments? It's a major gap in tackling climate risks. Indian FIs need to follow global best practices to thrive in a net-zero future. That means making solid plans to transition to green finance and working with companies to slash emissions. With 💸 INR 1,151 billion in potential financial opportunities, there’s a compelling case for Indian FIs to lead the way in sustainable finance. So, what's the play? Regulators must make climate transition plans mandatory. FIs should lay out their strategies and manage climate risks across their portfolios.

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Philanthropy in India is evolving, with UHNIs playing a pivotal role in sustainable development. A recent report by Accelerate India Philanthropy (AIP) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) highlights that only 11% of top UHNI philanthropists contribute to environmental and sustainability initiatives. As an ecoentrepreneur, I urge more HNIs and companies to prioritize nature conservation. While other social causes are crucial, a healthy environment provides the foundation for all life—clean food, air, and water are essential for every living being. Without this, no amount of education or other social initiatives can make a lasting impact. It's time to channel more resources into preserving our planet for a healthier future. #Philanthropy #SustainableDevelopment #Environment #Conservation #CSR #Nature #India #EconomicTimes #ET #IMPCA

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Climate finance is critical to mitigating the severe impacts of extreme heat in South Asia. As record-breaking temperatures affect millions, targeted strategies such as heat action plans and infrastructure improvements are essential. Vulnerable communities, including low-income families, women, and marginalized groups, suffer the most. Efficient climate finance can support these communities through education, health services and sustainable construction. Transparent and efficient fund disbursement is essential to ensure resources reach those in need and build resilience to climate change. Explore the broader discussion on how climate finance can make a difference: https://lnkd.in/dXeMDMgG #thomaslloyd #renewableenergy #infrastructure #esg #netzero #asia #climatechange #sustainability #emergingmarkets #energytransition #electricity #biomass #BatteryInnovation

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The #Budget2024 through the #ESG lens: #E: * Projects for irrigation and flood management announced for Bihar, Assam, Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand. * A taxonomy for climate finance will be developed for enhancing the availability of capital for climate adaptation and mitigation. * A roadmap will be formulated for moving the 'hard to abate' industries from 'energy efficiency' targets to 'emission targets'. #S: * Working women hotels for increasing their participation in the workforce. * An allocation of more than Rs 3 lakh crore for schemes benefiting women and girls. * Employment-linked incentives have been rolled out for first time employees and support to employers. * Internship opportunities in top 500 companies to one crore youth in five years that pay Rs 5000 per month. * Measures to support street vendors and boost temple & heritage tourism. #G: * A comprehensive review of the IT act will be undertaken to simplify it. * Land records in urban areas will be digitised with GIS mapping. * It will facilitate improving the financial position of urban local bodies * Measures planned to increase the ease of doing business Of course, implementation remains the key!

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Philanthropy in India is evolving, with UHNIs playing a pivotal role in sustainable development. A recent report by Accelerate India Philanthropy (AIP) and BCG, top UHNI philanthropists contribute to environmental and sustainability initiatives. As an ecoentrepreneur, I urge more HNIs and companies to prioritize nature conservation. While other social causes are crucial, a healthy environment provides the foundation for all life—clean food, air, and water are essential for every living being. Without this, no amount of education or other social initiatives can make a lasting impact. It's time to channel more resources into preserving our planet for a healthier future. #Philanthropy #SustainableDevelopment #Environment #Conservation #CSR #Nature #India #EconomicTimes #ET #IMPCA

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We are back with a new Episode! In this episode of The Climate Network, we have Padma Mohanty, a distinguished Indian Forest Service (#IFoS) officer and the current Deputy Inspector General in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (#MoEFCC), Regional Office, Bhubaneswar. Join us in this podcast as she delves into the innovative Periyar Model of participatory management, which integrates local communities in #conservation efforts and discusses the critical role of #ecotourism in #sustainable development. She discusses the concept of "#Tigernomics" and the interconnectedness of forests, water, and people, advocating for a balanced approach to #development and resource allocation. She also emphasized that conservation is deeply rooted in our #cultural ethos and calls for a redefinition of affluence to include the richness of #nature and #biodiversity. Tune in to learn about the #economics of conservation, the importance of community involvement, and how we can all contribute to preserving our natural heritage in the face of #climatechange. Join us as we explore these topics with Padma Mohanty and our Host, Deepsha D. Dhal, in this episode. Podcast Link - https://lnkd.in/gQN77csi #climatechange #biodiversity #MissionLiFE #Tigernomics #conservation #wildlifeconservation #ecotourism #livelihood #forestmanagement #culture

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India Elections 2024 Election Commission of India Climate Change and Elections Heatwaves in India Scheduling Parliamentary Elections Impact of Climate Change on Voting Ashok Lavasa O P Rawat Election Timing and Weather Adaptation to Climate Change in Elections

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Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests, a not-for-profit organisation of India, is actively promoting sustainable management of natural resources and sustainable consumerism through the mechanism of certification. We have developed/are developing globally benchmarked and India specific sustainability standards for various constituents of our natural resource base, as our core activity, besides engaged in policy advocacy, awareness raising and capacity building. The Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Standard received endorsement from PEFC on Sep 2017 and launched in Jan 2018. The standard is currently under revision process from Sep 9, 2023, to Sep9, 2024. Mr. A.K. Varma, nominated as a member of the PEFC SFM EUDR Task Force, has generously contributed his time to attend meetings and provide guidance to the Technical Working Group at NCCF. Consequently, we are adhering to a strict timeline to ensure compliance with EUDR for the SFM standard submission to PEFC by September 9, 2024. The NCCF has followed the process for developing the enquiry draft NCCF-STD-FM-Revision-01-2024. The draft has been developed after 4 TWG and 2 SDG meetings and public consultation. Public and stakeholder consultations are an integral part of standard development process followed by NCCF. The enquiry draft is open for public consultation for 60 days till July 13, 2024. The enquiry draft is accessible on the NCCF's website: https://lnkd.in/dDJbgKzv. Responding to the consultation: Please provide feedback via email, detailing specific Criteria and Indicators of the SFM standard. Your comments and feedback are important for gaining additional observations and insights, helping the working group to shape the standard to ensure it meets stakeholder expectations. #pefc #sustainable #furniture #woodworking #natural #green #biobased #timber #local #india #certification #ecofriendly #GoGreen

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Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests, a not-for-profit organisation of India, is actively promoting sustainable management of natural resources and sustainable consumerism through the mechanism of certification. We have developed/are developing globally benchmarked and India specific sustainability standards for various constituents of our natural resource base, as our core activity, besides engaged in policy advocacy, awareness raising and capacity building. The Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Standard received endorsement from PEFC on Sep 2017 and launched in Jan 2018. The standard is currently under revision process from Sep 9, 2023, to Sep9, 2024. Mr. A.K. Varma, nominated as a member of the PEFC SFM EUDR Task Force, has generously contributed his time to attend meetings and provide guidance to the Technical Working Group at NCCF. Consequently, we are adhering to a strict timeline to ensure compliance with EUDR for the SFM standard submission to PEFC by September 9, 2024. The NCCF has followed the process for developing the enquiry draft NCCF-STD-FM-Revision-01-2024. The draft has been developed after 4 TWG and 2 SDG meetings and public consultation. Public and stakeholder consultations are an integral part of standard development process followed by NCCF. The enquiry draft is open for public consultation for 60 days until July 13, 2024. The consultation period has been extended by an additional three weeks, now ending on August 2, 2024. The enquiry draft is accessible on the NCCF's website: https://lnkd.in/dDJbgKzv Responding to the consultation: Please provide feedback via email, detailing specific Criteria and Indicators of the SFM standard. Your comments and feedback are important for gaining additional observations and insights, helping the working group to shape the standard to ensure it meets stakeholder expectations. #pefc #sustainable #furniture #woodworking #natural #green #biobased #timber #local #india #certification #ecofriendly #GoGreen

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Visible #GlobalWarming Impacts! Changes in temperature profile have affected both the production and cultivation of horticultural crops in #Uttarakhand. The yield of major fruit crops like pears, peaches, apricots, plums, walnuts, and apples has plummeted significantly in the last seven years. #Farmers are opting for low-chilling cultivars of apples or replacing hard nut fruits like plum, peach, and apricots with tropical alternatives like kiwi and pomegranate. Gooseberry and Guava show a significant rise in yield marked by 63.77% and 94.89% while Apple saw a 30 percent decline in yield from 2016-17 to 2022-23. The yield of lemon varieties shrunk by 58 percent during this time. Missing the delicious rich plums, apricots and malta from Uttarakhand... #Climate #Heatwave #Agriculture

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India’s Green Taxonomy- steaming or clearing the alphabet soup? As per the Union Budget 2024, presented on 23rd July, India will soon develop Green Taxonomy to scale up climate transition and achieve net zero emissions by 2070. Like any other taxonomy, it is expected to bring in clarity and standardization on what constitutes sustainable business practices. India is not the first country to have its Green Taxonomy. EU, UK, China are some of the early movers here. Even in India, the discussion around green taxonomy is not brewing today. In 2017, the SEBI notified green debt securities framework, which lists eligible green activities. On similar lines, the Reserve Bank of India issued its inaugural green deposits framework specifying several green project categories. For years, think tanks in India have been advocating for nomenclature that defines what is ‘green’. The need and benefits of Green Taxonomy is clear by now. But for this taxonomy to stand upto the expectation- >> There must not be complexity for businesses (specially small businesses) to implement. The simpler, the better. >> While India advocates it be instrumental in preventing greenwashing, the other way around could also be true. Businesses might use it to claim false environment benefits. >> Unreasonable cost or effort to collate and report data can be detrimental in achieving the desired benefits.

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What are BJP's and Congress' political promises for climate action? Are they good enough for us? What should the upcoming Government focus at the moment? What is of priority? I may be wrong but please feel free to add your two cents to the conversation. https://lnkd.in/d5fHeTXU #climateaction #climatechange #India #politics

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The latest report from the World Economic Forum, "Unlocking Private Sector Investment into Natural Climate Solutions: India", highlights groundbreaking strategies to mobilize private sector funds for reforestation and conservation. 🌳 The report delves into innovative financial mechanisms and partnership models that can drive significant investments into India's natural landscapes. This is a crucial step in combating climate change and ensuring sustainable development. Read the report here: https://bit.ly/4bTjVc4

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Kerala SAPCC 2023-2030 is one of the perfect blend of climate science, Kerala Government proactive measure and in house capacity building. A core group of 👥 220 nodal officers from 91 sectoral stakeholder departments through three tiers of consultation sessions has helped to devise this Action Plan. Key Insights: 🌡 Projections show a temperature increase of 1°C to 2°C under future scenarios. 💰Finance: Mitigation strategies need INR 52,238 Crore; adaptation requires INR 38,407 Crore. 🗺 Key vulnerabilities were identified in districts like Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Alappuzha. 🚗 Mitigation Strategies (2023-30) ▶ Energy efficiency improvements ▶Installation of renewable energy projects ▶Increased adoption of Electric Vehicles ▶Upgrading Transmission and Distribution infrastructure These efforts aim to avoid ~57000 ktCO2 by 2030, with an investment of INR 52,238 Crore. Kerala’s share is about 5%, with the Central Government covering 23%. 🌾 Adaptation Strategies Focused on enhancing climate resilience in agriculture, improving production practices, and building capacities of supporting institutions. Key areas include livestock, coastal fisheries, forests, health, and water resources. 📑 Why does it stand out? ▶Assessed district vulnerability across 19 parameters and classify risk levels(high-low). ▶Designed sector-specific adaptation interventions with annual budgets until 2030. ▶Dedicated capacities through dedicated bodies like the Chief Minister’s Governing Council, State Climate Change Cell, Climate Change Working Groups, District Climate Change Cells, and Sectoral Climate Change Cells. Kerala's comprehensive approach serves as a blueprint for integrating climate resilience and sustainability at the state level🌱✨

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A lot of mine sustainability colleague and juniors are having doubts in calculation of PPPs (Purchase power parities) under BRSR core. Below i tried to explain it in simpler words- PPPs are the currency conversion rates that level the playing field, enabling comparisons of purchasing power across different nations by neutralizing price level differences. In 2022, India's PPP stood at 22.91 Local Currency Units (LCU) per international dollar (USD). What does this mean? Well, it indicates that the purchasing power of 1 USD in the United States equates to that of 22.91 INR in India. In simpler terms, INR 22.91 in India holds the same buying power as 1 USD does in the US. Now, how does this tie into business operations? Let's delve into PPP Adjusted Revenue. This metric helps gauge revenue in a universal currency (USD), eliminating distortions caused by currency exchange rates. The formula is straightforward: PPP Adjusted Revenue in USD = Revenue in INR / World Bank PPP Conversion Factor Here's an example to illustrate: Let's say a company's revenue in the 2022-23 fiscal year is 10,000 INR million. Using the latest available PPP conversion rate for 2022 (22.91 INR/Int. USD), we can compute its PPP adjusted revenue in USD: PPP adjusted revenue (USD) for 2022-23 = (10,000 / 22.91) = 436.5 USD million It's crucial to note that the World Bank provides these PPP conversion rates for all currencies, with updates typically available as of March 31st each year. Even if a newer rate emerges post-March 31st but before finalizing financial disclosures, it's recommended to stick to the rate available on March 31st for consistency and comparability. Stay informed, stay ahead! 💼✨ #PurchasingPowerParity #EconomicAnalysis #BusinessMetrics #BRSR #Sustainability #ESG

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CSR policy solutions to mitigate the impact of climate-induced heatwaves in India. #ClimateAction #CSRLeadership #HeatwaveMitigation #GreenInitiatives #SustainableFuture #DelhiNCR #ClimateResilience #UrbanGreening #PublicAwareness #SustainableInfrastructure #WaterManagement #EnvironmentProtection #CSRImpact #nationalcsrnetwork #India

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