India's Green Transition

The expansion of India’s cities means that it is now one of the world’s highest emitters of CO2, with new infrastructure and transport networks creating ever more energy demands. India has a population of over 1.4 billion and over the past decade it has connected 50 million people per year to electricity, but not without a huge reliance on oil and coal. 

At the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow in 2021, India announced a Net Zero target of 2070 and intentions to source 50% of its electricity from renewables by 2030. In building an industrial system and energy network predominantly based on renewables, along with greener, smarter cities, could India become the planet’s first Low Carbon Superpower? And will that change happen fast enough in the race to meet the Paris Agreement and keep global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels? 

To discuss how will it achieve this, how it will be funded and the environmental and economic opportunities and challenges of India’s green transition, is an expert panel:   

Speakers include: 

• Gauri Jauhar—Executive Director, Energy Transitions and Clean Tech Consulting, S&P Global Commodity Insights.
• Aun Abdullah—Head-ESG at Lodha, who are developing the Palava city have built and designed the city to have minimal environmental impact. Lodha recently was recognised by GRESB as ‘Global Sector Leader in Residential Developments’ and also appears amongst the top companies in global sustainability benchmarks.
• Amitabh Kant—India’s G20 Sherpa in its presidency year of 2023, previously CEO of NITI Aayog, a public policy think tank of the Government of India and author of numerous books including, most recently, Made in India: 75 Years of Business and Enterprise.
• Rajini Vaidyanathan (Chair)—BBC presenter and correspondent based in London. Formerly a foreign correspondent based in Asia and North America.