Environment meet to focus on global awareness

September 17, 2009: India needs to focus more on adoption of green technologies as growth with ecological stability is the real growth and if the country wants that, it cannot ignore the environment, said co-chairman of Energy and Environment Committee of Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Arun Mukherjee.

"We should not think nature just as a supplier of raw material, but sustainer of life. India has set a growth target of 9 percent for which huge industrial activities are required. While undertaking these activities, more emphasis should be given for adoption of green technologies," Mukherjee said while talking to reporters recently in connection with a two-day Energy and Environment Conclave that the chamber was organising in Kolkata.

Advocating the need for awareness against greenhouse gas emissions, he said the emissions have reached a dangerous level. It is thus the need of the hour to minimise carbon emissions.

"Developed countries are already pressurising India to put a cap on emissions on post 2012 scenario and the matter is expected to be discussed in the Copenhagen Summit to be held in December," Mukherjee said.

In this connection, he pointed out that the chamber has taken initiatives to create an awareness for energy conservation and environment friendly practices. The chamber has already taken up the matter with its members and is trying to reduce the level of pollution by sponge iron units in Durgapur through consultation with them.

"Coal is the dirtiest fuel in terms of its pollution level, but unfortunately, this is the major source of our fuel. Therefore, to make it less pollutant, coal to liquid and other technologies need to be adopted," he said.

Mukherjee, however, said the technology of zero percent carbon emission while burning coal is in an experimental stage, but research for this type of technology should be encouraged.

Commenting on the conclave, he said it was organised by the chamber to focus on creating a forum for the best minds in environment and energy to meet and brainstorm on issues that are critical for industrial production and sustenance of business and the economy.

The conclave will enable participants to brainstorm together and learn from thought leaders how to harness the new opportunities, stay away from ecological threats and build capabilities within the organisation to create competitive advantages, he said.

Mukherjee said the conclave was organised at a time when the world is passing through a recession never seen since the Great Depression of 1929. "To make matters worse, the threat of climate change is very real and its impact would be most severely felt right here in Kolkata, one of the world's most vulnerable regions," he said.

Emphasising that in every crisis lies an opportunity, Mukherjee said the present-day environmental threat too is giving rise to technologies, practices and innovations, which, if applied appropriately can have an immense impact on the competitive advantage of firms.

In the current situation of global economic crisis and competitive pressure the awareness for implication of modern eco-friendly technology is very important, he said. The threat of climate change is very real and its impact would be most severely felt in eastern part of India since the maximum fossil fuel based industries is situated in this region, he added.

Shyam Saran, Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Climate Change, Bikash Sinha, renowned scientist and former director of Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre along with Coal India Ltd chairman P.S. Bhattacharyya, WBSEDCL chairman and managing director M.K. De, West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation Ltd managing director S.P. Gon Chaudhuri were scheduled to address the conclave in presence of speakers from Canada and Germany.

Source: Coal Insights