WEF summit 2022: Indian CEOs’ alliance to fast-track climate action, decarbonisation launched

The India chapter of the Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders was launched at the ongoing World Economic Forum 2022 (WEF 2022) summit with an objective to fast-track India’s climate action and decarbonisation efforts. This alliance is a part of the WEF’s Climate Action Platform.  

The Alliance will work towards achieving the vision outlined in the white paper-- Mission 2070: A Green New Deal for a Net Zero India—on India’s low-carbon transition by 2070, as per an official WEF press release.  

The release further reads, “It will bring together the government, businesses and other key stakeholders to achieve the Indian Prime Minister’s ambitious, five-part “Panchamrit” pledge, which includes the country’s net-zero by 2070 target.”  

The white paper states, “A Green New Deal for a net-zero India can save lives, catalyse entire new industries, create millions of jobs, drive trillions of dollars of economic value and provide a significant heft to India’s role in the frontline of the global war on climate change.”  

This white paper lays focus on five sectors that contribute to almost all of India’s greenhouse gas emissions – energy, mobility, industry, green buildings and agriculture. CEO and MD of Mahindra Group and co-chair at Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders India Anish Shah says that signs of climate change like varying temperatures are clearly visible to all of us.  

He says, “The signs of climate change with varying temperature and weather patterns impacting human lives are clearly visible to all of us. Hence, the global initiative and commitment towards climate change, is indeed a positive sign of hope. We believe that it is absolutely possible for us to achieve 1.5 degree Celsius target from the Paris agreement.” 

WEF President Børge Brende points out, “The Alliance becomes part of our comprehensive nature and climate action agenda in India which includes collaborative initiatives such as Trillion Trees, Moving India for rapid electric vehicle deployment, clean energy financing, Food Innovation Hubs, Stakeholder Capitalism metrices and Clean Skies for Tomorrow.” 

The Alliance is collaboration between management consultancy Kearney and the Indian think-tank Observer Research Foundation and will also leverage experiences from global projects like Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders and the First Movers Coalition. It will serve as “high-level platform to support business leaders in planning and implementing plans and programmes to achieve climate targets, including net-zero economic growth.” 

Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders is a global community of CEOs who continue to drive the transition to a net-zero economy across sectors. First Movers Coalition is a consortium of over 50 companies aimed at commercialising zero-carbon technologies by assembling corporate purchasing pledges across heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors.  

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