FICCI along with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in partnership with Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservative, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) and the World Bank Group, with support from GIZ organized the 9th India Climate Policy and Bossiness Conclave 2016. The Conclave is being held with the objective of offering India’s private sector and public stakeholders the first opportunity to convene and shape climate policy and business priorities in the post-Paris framework. It seeks to provide a forum for Indian businesses to discover opportunities to learn about climate smart best practices from their peers.
Delivering the keynote address Shri Ashok Lavasa, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change lauded the Paris agreement and the INDCs submitted by India on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. who for all of humanity exemplified sustainable living. The Secretary further outlined that sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the Paris agreement reinforce two realities, first, that the world would continue to grow and second, that it needs to grow in such a way which doesn’t jeopardize future of the planet. He further mentioned government’s initiatives as announced in the budget of 2016-17 underscoring a strong cross-sectoral focus on sustainable development. He highlighted government’s resolve for providing 5 crore LPG connections to BPL households in the 12th plan period. This would have huge co-benefit impacts by reducing biomass burning in inefficient cookstoves and the associated health hazards.
He also highlighted the President of India’s speech to the parliament which mainly focussed on optimal resource utilization embarking on sustainable means of living. Similarly he lauded Ministry of Railways’ efforts to restart ring rail network in Delhi to reduce pollution for the transport sector. In her special address Dr. Silke Karcher, German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), Head of Division for European Climate and Energy Policy, New Market Mechanisms, said that the private sector needs to play a proactive role with a cooperative approach. A strong accountability was required for achieving the desired outcome from the INDCs. She added that Germany was determined to become a greenhouse gas neutral by 2050. To achieve it, the country was updating its legislation on renewables, adopting new strategies for energy conservation and transportation.
Mr Rakesh Bakshi, FICCI’s National Executive Committee Member and Chairman RRB Energy Limited in his speech lauded the government’s efforts in COP 21, particularly underscoring the leadership role of the MoEFCC which ensured the inclusion of India’s long cherished principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities(CBDR) to fight climate change. He further underscored the need to build capacities and to attract finance for low carbon growth areas. He also underlined FICCIS commitment to support the government by bringing industry on board for achieving India’s INDCs. Mr Venkata Putti, Program Manager, Climate and Carbon Finance, the World Bank started his remarks by underlining the importance of the Conclave with context to the recently concluded Paris agreement. He mentioned that while indcs are one of the key pillars of Paris agreement, finance is equally important for the implmentation of indcs.
He mentioned that there have been two kinds of proposal submitted as part of INDCs – conditional and unconditional. He particularly highlighted the importance of financial instruments to support conditional proposals. He also mentioned the World Banks group’s commitment to help mobilise resources for climate related projects. He also mentioned that starting year 2020 World Bank would be providing 30 billion dollars a year as part of its climate finance projects. But to make indcs happen we need funds to the order of many trillion dollars for which all player have to come together. He further exhorted the need of private players to come together and the role that FICCI can play in bringing multiple stakeholders on board particularly the private sector. Mr Kolluru Krishnan, Co-Chair FICCI Climate Change Task Force and Chairman CVC Infrastructure Ltd. congratulated the MOEFCC for its collaborative efforts to galvanise stakeholders for the Paris Agreement. He also extended his gratitude for the Ministry’s support to the industries.
He further added that this Conclave is an important medium to develop in actionable agenda on sustainable development, job creation and higher growth trajectory for India. Chairing the Plenary Session on Operationalising India’s INDCs – Challenges and Opportunities, Special Secretary, MoEFCC, Shri Sushil Kumar mentioned some notable initiatives of the Ministry in the context of INDCs. He lauded FICCI’s support and role during COP-21 and exhorted for similar support going ahead for operationalising INDCs. He added that the Ministry is trying to develop a regional, state-level and national level vulnerability Index which would show changes in climate change vulnerability overtime. He called for both market-based and non-market mechanisms in achieving INDCs. Speaking on the subject Mr Kolluru Krishnan, Co-Chair FICCI Climate Change Task Force and Chairman CVC Infrastructure Ltd. highlighted India’s commitment under the INDC and the policy framework for achieving the same. He added that financing, not technology, is the issue in achieving the commitments under INDCs. The Plenary Session on Innovative Instruments to Mobilize Climate Finance discussed highlighted how the Paris Agreement could further spur the mobilization of climate finance by examining the current state of play regarding existing financing environments & mechanisms. Dr. Prodipto Ghosh, Former Secretary, MoEFCC and Chair – FICCI Climate Change Task Force, talked about the ambitious INDCS of India and the strong political commitment to implement theses. He further added that the recent budget gives substantial fiscal space for climate change efforts. Sir David King, UK Foreign Secretary’s special representative for Climate Change, highlighted UK is the biggest foreign Investor in the Energy Sector in India.
Dr Venkata Putti, Program Manager – Climate & Carbon Finance, The World Bank, mentioned about The World Bank’s innovative Pilot Auction Facility (PAF) and Transformative Carbon Asset Facility (TCAF). Mr Koyel Mandal,Technical Advisor – Climate Change, GIZ, mentioned about the two new development Funds supported by GIZ, the India Climate Responsibility Fund and the Green Bonds. Mr S K Dora, Deputy General Manager, NABARD highlighted NABARD’s experience in Adaptation Finance. He highlighted that corporates can play a key role in crop insurance (against climate hazards), developing innovative public-private partnership (PPP) models for installing automated weather stations, and provision of advisory services in weather forecasting and crop pricing. Ms Rita Roy Choudhury, Senior Director & Head – Environment, Climate Change, Renewable Energy & Water Division, FICCI, mentioned the need to see climate finance in the larger paradigm of sustainable finance. She added that the Report on “India Inquiry into the Design of Sustainable Financial System “, jointly undertaken by FICCI and UNEP, highlights 5 critical domestic levers that can catalyse desired financial system design.