Young FICCI Ladies Organization conducted an interactive session on “Environment as a Business Opportunity” with Jairam Ramesh, Politician, Economist and Author

India CSR News Network

HYDERABAD: Young FICCI Ladies Organisation(YFLO) held an interactive session on ‘Environment as a Business Opportunity’ with Jairam Ramesh, Politician, Economist and Author for their members. The event held at Taj Krishna was attended by over 70 members.

Environment is no longer a business opportunity, but it is a moral imperative. Environment is a responsibility. So India needs to see Environment seriously. Environment is significant to India, because it is linked to livelihood unlike many western countries where it is seen as a lifestyle. So don’t look Environment just as a business opportunity, said Jairam Ramesh.

Environment is significant to India, because it is linked to livelihood unlike many western countries where it is seen as a lifestyle. Environment is no longer a business opportunity, but it is a moral imperative. : Jairam Ramesh, MP

On democratic reasons, Environment is very crucial to India. Our population is 120 crores and in next 35 years it will be 124 crore and by 2050 it will touch 170 crore. India is the only country registering growth in population and many western countries are more are less stagnant. India is also young unlike many western nations, which are more of old people. The median age of India is 28years. So there is a more demand on natural resources. So India needs to see Environment very seriously, he said.

Climate change is a reality. Himalayan Glaciers are melting. Andhra Pradesh with one of the longest coastlines all ready started experiencing the impacts of climate change. Chemical contamination has been leaving effects on public health. Incidence of Asthama is increasing. In Bangalore, 25 per cent of school going children are suffering with Asthama, found a survey, Jairam Ramesh said.

India needs to look alternatives. Need to integrate Economical growth and Environment protection. Look at Environment as a responsibility. Go ecologically friendly manner. Live a life that is ecologically sustainable. Nature has sufficient reserves for everybody’s needs, but, nobody’s greeds, Jairam Ramesh reminded the famous quotation of Mahatma Gandhi.

Speaking about Sanitation, Jairam Ramesh said we as individuals, keep clean but collectively we don’t carry same value. Sanitation has to be people’s initiative. Those who opposed me saying in 2012 that India needs more toilets than temples, are doing the same now, he said indirectly about Narendra Modi.

Commenting on Swach Bharath, he said that he wouldn’t sound to be pessimistic. It has to be more than mere photo opportunity. It is getting visibility nationally. But, I don’t think Modil will achieve what he aspiring to do by 2019, Jairam Ramesh added.

He urged YFLO to come forward to take up the task of making Hyderabad “ A Open Defacation Free City”.

The biggest problem in India is the implementation of laws. There is no dearth of good environmental laws. But their implementation is not there. We are too good in enacting laws and more good in bypassing them too, he said.

When asked to suggest what he sees as potential green businesses in future he said I would bet on Water Recycling, Solar Energy and Green Air Conditioning.

Germany tops in production of roof top solar energy. What is so amazing about Germany is that the country though doesn’t seen sunlight for six months, still tops among the nations all over the world in producing more solar energy. That has to be the spirit he said.

Welcoming the gathering Nidhi Swarup, Chairperson of YFLO said, The current Environmental scenario is both threat and opportunity. Some of the Environmental threats are Human Population and Pollution, Deforestation, Ozone Deterioration/Global Warming, Acid Rain, Dead Zones in the Ocean and Species Extinction etc.

From water pollution to global warming, environmental issues affect everybody, animal, community, and nation on the planet. As increasing evidence supports the devastating effect humans have on the environment, more people and organizations are taking steps to protect the environment. More and more consumers are turning to eco-friendly alternatives. As a result, more businesses are also going green, going organic, she said.

So “Environment is also a business opportunity”. The interactive session is being organised in this light of background. It is the first meeting of the YFLO for the year, she added.

What could be the best program than the Environment, As we are all concerned about it, to begin my year as Chairperson of the YFLO informed Nidhi Swarup. And who could be the best speaker on the subject than Jairam Ramesh, who himself was at a helm of affairs as a Minister of State in the Ministry Of Environment and Forests in UPA-II to speak on the subject. As a Minister he has shaken up the ministry and he is highly knowledgeable.

“If you don’t go go green, you will go read” seems to be manthra now across business verticals, Nidhi said.

Ecopreneur, Nidhi Swarup said is going to be the new buzz word in business in near future

Ecopreneurs are those entrepreneurs who start for‐profit businesses with strong underlying green values and who sell green products or services. This is an emerging field, If that happens, where do you stand? These are some of the questions will be answered during the interactive session, informed Nidhi Swarup.

The Climate Change is a big business opportunity for some countries. As the world climate changes, companies’ expertise in areas such as weather forecasting, flood modeling, infrastructure and insurance will have lot of need in order to prepare for the kinds of events we might witness more often, Nidhi said

The Climate Change adaptations sector is claimed to be millions of dollars business, she added.

Even the Agriculture must innovate to using advanced breeding techniques to produce new crops that can thrive even when the weather is against us, Nidhi informed.

Speaking further, Nidhi added that with more and more eco-friendly regulations on the horizon, environmental consulting is big and is rapidly growing and even emerging as an industry.

Water Conservation, Water Recycling, Renewable Energy are some of the areas that are thrown open as business opportunities due to environmental threats, informed Nidhi.