Against the backdrop of the recently concluded COP29 climate talks held in Baku, Azerbaijan leaving global South with little hope on climate finance and growing concerns on sustainability, it is crucial to let experts lead the way on endeavours to nurture genuine efforts. There is little choice than to focus on immediate priorities and some quick wins. The FE Green Sarathi Summit & Awards, 2024 that unfolds in the national capital on Friday, December 20th, is therefore a unique attempt to get some of the finest minds to brainstorm, swap ideas and share insights on ways to advance sustainability solutions.
It also happens nearly a year after FE online devoting coverage on sustainability under a specially-created section called “The Green Sarathi”.
The inaugural edition of The FE Green Sarathi Summit & Awards, 2024, will have Dr Jitendra Singh, minister of state (independent charge), the Earth Sciences & the science & technology ministries delivering the inaugural address. A doctor himself, and a diabetologist at that, lends even more weight as studies are beginning to show on the interlinkages between biodiversity and diabetes, a major area of concern for India.
The summit is also timely given that several initiatives have been set in motion by the government, including those like ‘Mission Life’ or the lifestyle for environment launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi apart from the other endeavours such as the green credits programme; the National Mission on climate change, including the mission on strategic knowledge for climate change.
The first panel at the summit is focussed on making sustainability endeavours truly sustainable given that each element- from finance to talent training to policy enablers – throws up opportunities but with challenges galore. Here, we have a rich and diverse mix of experts – Indra Guha, Partner, Sustainability & ESG, Business Advisory Services, BDO India LLP; Purnamita Dasgupta, Chair Professor & Head, Environmental Economics Unit at the Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi; Shobhit Kumar, COO, Datta Power Infra apart from Dr. Vibha Tripathi, Founder, Boon.
There is also a panel focussed on green mobility with speakers from marquee institutions and leading Indian companies – Rahul Bharti, Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India, Uday Narang, Founder and Chairman, Omega Seiki and Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, India.
In separate fire side chats, there will be insights shared by S Sivakumar, group head of Agri & IT Businesses, who also oversees ITC’s Sustainability initiatives and Social Investment programmes, Rajat Gupta, senior partner, McKinsey and Sandhya J, group, chief financial officer at Narayana Health..
The summit and awards, organised by Financial Express with supporting partners Datta Power Infra and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, will conclude with the awards to some of the worthy winners. They have all been selected by a distinguished jury comprising of Abha Seth, who leads FICCI Centre for Sustainability Leadership, Professor Anjal Prakash from the Indian School of Business, Anand Sri Ganesh from IIM- Bangalore, Professor Purnamita Dasgupta from the Institute of Economic Growth, Mahua Acharya, the founder CEO of the International Energy Transition Platform and Professor Subhasis Ray from XLRI, Jamshedpur. The whole exercise has been aided by FE’s knowledge partner EY.