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Click here for this overview
Business is one of CSM’s core constituencies under the Climate Challenge India initiative. CSM believes that business can be a powerful force for unlocking innovation and building a more ‘can-do’ approach to the climate challenge in India. The country needs to transition beyond the carbon age to a new industrial age more in tune with ecological limits and the coming needs of nine billion people. Business and enterprise will be essential to the search for and deployment of solutions to this. With its long and deeply-embedded enterprise culture, and an international Diaspora of more than 20 million people worldwide, India has unique untapped advantages when it comes to addressing the climate challenge. CSM’s business engagement programme seeks to mobilise Indian business (domestic and in the Diaspora) on a pro-climate agenda, and build leadership platforms for vanguard companies, from large to small. Its objective is to demonstrate that India Inc. is moving on climate change and can accelerate the transition to a more sustainable low-carbon future for the country. In so doing the programme seeks to build the confidence needed for Indian politicians and policymakers to take bolder steps in providing the required policy and legislative frameworks. A key objective is to build momentum for a successful, high-ambition outcome to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference in Copenhagen in December 2009. Climate change is a risk and India is one of the most vulnerable countries. But it is also an opportunity, and must be used to advance a new more sustainable model of development for the country as it seeks to emerge as a 21st century power. 
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CSM’s business engagement programme currently comprises the following broad activity areas: policy dialogue; leadership platforms; publications; broadcasts; and sectoral initiatives. Back to Top |
CSM engages in a variety of policy fora – including those initiated by CSM in response to specific publications or initiatives – on the issue of business and climate change.
Examples include the following:
Private Session– Indian business and climate change (World Economic Forum, New Delhi, December 2007). Chaired by CSM. Output fed into G8+5 process.
Seminar: ‘UK-India Business Leadership on Climate Change. (Houses of Parliament, 26June, 2008). In partnership with Tomorrow’s Company and Businessworld.
Private Session – Indian business and climate change (World Economic Forum New Delhi, November 2008). Chaired by CSM. Output to be fed into G20 process.
Consultation: ‘Indian Business & the Copenhagen Climate Summit – building a leadership agenda’. (17 November 2008, New Delhi). In partnership with Businessworld.
Presentation: Indian Business & Climate Change: rising to the challenge’ – European Parliament & Danish Parliament. In partnership with Copenhagen Climate Council (tbc)
Presentation: ‘Global Warming & Indian Business: rising to the challenge’ – US Congress, National Press Club and Council on Foreign Relations, Washington DC. Spring 2008. In partnership with Pew Environment Group.
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1.UK-India Business Partnership for Climate Leadership – Leadership platform initiated with Tomorrow’s Company (UK) and India’s leading business magazine, Businessworld, comprising a series of seminars and awareness-raising events in the UK and India. Particular focus on engaging Indian Diaspora business in the UK on climate issues. (June 2008 – June 2009)
2.UN ‘Caring for the Climate’ initiative – Presentation on emerging market business and climate change at the initiative’s conference in October 2008 in Geneva. (Please also see Report mentioned below on this subject to be published in partnership with UN ‘Caring for the Climate’ initiative’ in May 2008.)
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1.Pamphlet: Climate Change: A leadership agenda for Indian business? An overview of current trends and initiatives making a powerful case for why India Inc. can be in the forefront of climate leadership and help shape a pro-active national agenda.
2.Magazine Supplement: In Good Company: India’s new breed of eco-innovators who are out to save the planet and make money. Joint publication with India’s leading business weekly, Businessworld. Publication: Spring 2009
3.Study: Climate Change and the Indian Diaspora: How overseas Indian investment can promote energy security and drive a low-carbon economic future for India. Pioneering study examining the role and potential of US and UK-based Indian Diaspora cleantech/ green energy investments. In partnership with Tomorrow’s Company (UK) and Worldwatch Institute (US). Publication: Winter 2009
4.Report: ’Coping with Climate Change: What a low-carbon economic pathway would look like for India.’ An accessible and persuasive economic analysis of what policy options, technologies and frameworks India could adopt to address climate change, create value and gain competitive advantage. Publication: Winter 2009
5.Study: ‘Emerging Markets and Business Leadership on Climate Change.’ A study presenting case studies of business leadership on the climate agenda from China, India, Brazil and South Africa. In partnership with the UN Global Compact’s Caring for the Climate initiative and to be launched at the World Business Summit on Climate Change in May 2009, Copenhagen. Publication: May 2009
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In Good Company : A 50-minute, made for TV documentary profiling emerging corporate leadership on climate change in India. Aimed at an international audience, the documentary will feature Indian business leaders, from corporate giants to innovative start-ups, highlighting just how India Inc. is responding to climate change. (Supported by the Magazine Supplement with Businessworld referred to above). Release date: May 2009 |
1.Steel: Convene a platform with India’s leading steel companies to explore practical ‘clean steel’ options for the country and provide leadership to the sector.
Timeline: Spring 2009 – September 2010
2.Automobiles: Convene a platform with India’s leading automobile manufacturers to explore practical sustainable mobility options for the country and provide leadership to the sector.
Timeline: Spring 2009 – September 2010
3.Buildings: Convene a platform with India’s leading eco-housing and green developers to promote embedding of green build across the country through a combination of policy advocacy; sectoral leadership; public awareness campaigns; investment promotion.
Timeline: Spring 2009 – Sept 2010
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Cities form the second core focus on CSM’s climate change activities. Although India is predominantly a rural country, by 2030 more than 60 percent of Indians will be living in cities. It is time to prepare for this urbanisation now and develop more climate resilient cities. As a first step towards this, in 2007, CSM initiated a series of ‘City Dialogues’ in India’s leading cities and local ‘Climate Conversations’ to raise awareness of the vital role of cities and city leadership in addressing climate change.
Click here for flyer on ‘City Dialogues’
The City Dialogues were filmed and broadcast on national television in partnership with Lok Sabha TV. The DVDs are available for purchase from CSM and podcasts can be downloaded directly from the Climate Challenge India Portal
City Dialogues will continue to take place throughout 2009 and 2010.
In 2009, CSM will launch a ‘Sustainable Cities’ initiative in each of the country’s four metros – Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai – in partnership with local organisations, to provide a citizen-led platform for local action that can begin to develop urban resilience to climate change. CSM's Hyderabad City Dialogue with Dr Reddy's Labs - 2007
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From 2008 onwards, CSM is developing a focussed set of activities with young people in India to engage them in climate solutions for their future.
The four activity areas are:
Democratising Discourses on Climate Change – pilot programmes in Karnataka and West Bengal with schools to develop vernacular discourses on climate change and provide channels for young people to understand and engage in Kannada and Bangla respectively.
Generation X ‘Desicool’ climate engagement – new media-based engagement platform using ‘Desicool’ multimedia with industry leaders.
Climate impacts on children – research-action partnership with leading children’s rights NGOs on addressing the impacts of climate change on children in India and engaging them in solutions.
India Youth Climate Network – providing support for home-grown youth initiatives such as IYCN and related efforts.
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From 2009 onwards, CSM will be adding media as a new focal constituency for our climate work. This will entail deepening work with existing partners such as Businessworld and initiating new partnerships with popular English-language and vernacular media.
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From 2009, CSM will be adding parliamentarians as a new focal constituency for our work on climate change. This will entail a Dossier specially prepared for Parliamentarians on India and climate change available in both Hindi and English.
CSM will be engaged in awareness-raising on climate change during the Indian elections (April/May 2009) and hold briefings for the new intake of parliamentarians in both the Lok Sabha (Lower House) and Rajya Sabha (Upper House) in June 2009.
CSM will also be initiating a visit by a US delegation to brief the Indian Parliament on action in the US on climate change as part of our US-India Climate Leadership Programme in June 2009. This will reciprocate a visit of Indian experts to Washington DC brief the US Congress in May 2009 initiated by CSM.
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