Rebuilding Chennai’s green cover

Last June, Chennai recorded a nine year high of 42 degree Celsius and most importantly this temperature was recorded at Nungambakkam, a well known residential area. This was just one highlight of a scorching summer that Chennai experienced last year. As we prepare to face yet another bout of solar excess, we have to address the increasing climate extremes and the need to have a robust strategy to revert to the green, comparatively colder summers. Surprise as it may be to many, Chennai was not always this hot and actually experienced monsoon, winters and even a good amount of sea breeze during the summers that made life much easier when the mercury rose. 

The connection between local climate patterns and forest cover has been very apparent and obvious but gets little attention due to the absence of a collective consciousness from the city. A study done by a group of scientists from US and Netherlands on Meso-scale climate change due to lowland deforestation in the maritime tropics summaries that sea breeze was considerably stronger in an island assumed to be completely covered with forest than when the vegetation has been transformed to grassland or worse, artificial constructions using concrete.

At Michelin, there is a strong sense of responsibility towards deforestation due to industrial development. The focus towards responsible growth and initiatives based on this focus results in careful audit of the environmental impact. At Thervoy, Kandigai, Michelin has started planting saplings at its industrial site. The saplings are planted inside the manufacturing facility as part of the groups ‘Green Factory’ concept. 1800 saplings have been planted inside the Industrial site till date. Also Michelin has pledged that the plant will not draw any water from the industrial zone’s water tables. Instead water will be taken from the Redhills reservoir, an artificial storage lake 20 kilometers from the site.

We understand the need to contribute to the Chennai’s green cover and more importantly the need to spread this awareness to other citizens. Only then, the collective consciousness can grow and along with it, Chennai’s natural umbrella against the tropical sun.

We have put simple things that you can do to add to the forest cover that can become a reality for the upcoming generation in Chennai. We welcome ideas and thoughts from you that can help this drive get stronger and look forward to seeing your emails at michelinindiaforum@gmail.com.

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LIVE COVERAGE OF RV DEBATING TOURNAMENT ON ROAD SAFETY & SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY

The RV Debating Tournament 2012, conducted with the support of Michelin India, is one of the biggest tournaments in India that will focus on issues long championed by Michelin. RV college who is soon to be hosting the largest annual student competition in the world ,WUDC where more than a thousand university students aggregate in places across the world and participate in a week long competition .

The current debate which will happen over the weekend covers many intuitive topics on issues that affect our lifestyle, some of which Michelin has championed for long. Issues such as policies on road safety that needs to be tackled through innovative ideas, Sustainable mobility which is fast becoming a buzz word for most manufacturers as well as government policies. Also new progressive ideas that may very well become tomorrow’s policies such as tax rebates for contributions to road safety raises a number of interesting issues that will be debated by among the best debaters in the country.

These tournaments are a great place for students to get acquainted with the issues of road safety and sustainable growth and take the first step to having a tangible understanding of these issues that will be affecting them in their day to day lives.

You can catch the knockouts of this event live on our Blog at 1^st October 2012 – 2pm onwards

Greenhouse Gas Protocol: a New Ally for New Opportunities?

India’s commitment to sustainable economy topics has become a central focus of industrial and political thought. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) is an international accounting tool used by government and business leaders to detect, quantify and control greenhouse gas emissions. It results from the partnership between the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, which brings together the world’s businesses, governments and environmental institutions to work on sustainable issues. The GHG protocol has made its way in India since the Energy Resources Institute partnered with the above-mentioned organizations to launch two new tools, the Product Life Cycle and Corporate Value Chain, to meet new GHG Protocol standards.

The launch took place in Delhi on March 15, 2012. India’s booming industrial and economic growth and its involvement in climate change has made greenhouse gas emissions an essential concern. Value chain management is a new practice that businesses and organizations must address. The two new standards should help companies save money, reduce risks and gain sizeable competitive advantages. The Carbon Disclosure Project 2011 India Report estimates that 57 companies submitted reports and that 89% reported their GHG emissions using GHG protocol standards. More than being committed to world climate issues, the standards allow Indian companies to recognize and target new market opportunities in the field of low carbon products. The Corporate Value Chain standard shows potential opportunities enabling sustainable decisions about production and products. The Product Life Cycle standard enables companies to measure the greenhouse gas emissions of an individual product.

However, implementing the standard means that companies have to incorporate climate and environmental concerns in their developmental strategies. The GHG Protocol represents a big step towards clean and sustainable development, but could put some severe strains on businesses that are not properly prepared to meet expectations. Requirements should not be too drastic, if environmental protection is to become a fundamental principle.

India Shining: Even the Sun Has a Price

Solar projects have grown in number over the past decade but could stall if India does not consider new areas of opportunity. Innovative financing mechanisms that would enable the market to expand are being widely discussed. Public-private partnerships could be the answer, based on the US model. Different tools are under consideration such as the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and the use of agency funding to finance solar programs.

The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for financing solar energy projects appeals to India. Through a PPA, a third-party investor assumes all financing, installation and maintenance costs, and the district or government agrees to buy the power back, at a fixed reduced rate. This international financing tool provides immediate cost-savings and environmental benefits, while third-party investors (mainly financial institutions) bear all any financial risks incurred by the system.

Agencies could provide another way of financing solar projects as they shave budget earmarked for the purchase of solar energy systems. The government owns the system, its energy production and all the environmental attributes, such as renewable solar energy credits and clean energy credits. If the agency has properly kept budgeted funding, purchasing a system could be a worthwhile option because of lower in-house transaction costs and lower overall costs to the taxpayer.

Such innovative financing mechanisms are of great interest for India that has some of the world’s highest solar resources. However, they involved the further deregulation of private investment. The resources could be obtained through public-private partnerships within and without India. Some companies are pushing India to remove its restrictions on solar technology imports. They are seen as threats cutting American and international businesses out of a promising market. Limiting access to high-quality solar equipment that is available outside India is likely to impede India's solar power production and prevent other investors from developing solar projects in India. India is at a crossroads: will it resolutely take the road to international innovative finance, or it will remain alone with its huge amount of solar resources.

Team Building and Sustainability Building: Could CSR Communication Be the Winning Formula?

CSR consists of a commitment to the society in which a business operates. Consequently, more and more business managers seek to implement Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. CSR is perceived as a tool to help secure a sustainable competitive advantage by integrating social and business goals. Above all, testing CSR measures in India is an opportunity for employees from the bottom to provide input and be proud of participating in their firm’s CSR development. CSR measures have to be enhanced by strategic communication to deliver the appropriate message.

CSR communication is a key tool for taking the pulse a healthy work environment in a business, since it provides an outlook on a company’s goodwill from within and without. It has a twofold impact. One, employees become eager to be involved in the principles of participative management and sustainable development. Two, customers are aware of these efforts, something that could have positive outcomes for the company. CSR communication in India is appreciated because more than 1,500 companies worldwide have published a CSR report. Consequently, more than a mere idea, CSR has become an actual component of strategic communication. Communicating properly involved few challenges, which are to: define the source of information, establish a coherent dialog within the company and determine who the audience is. Finally, successful CSR communication should use every channel available to broaden the reach of its message.

CSR communication has been growing rapidly, somewhat as if it had become a prerequisite for business development and competitive advantage. CSR initiatives should benefit employees at all levels and maximize internal advantages rather than enhance the company’s public image, a move that would strengthen their power of influence along with the executive managers. A Parliamentary panel has even suggested that 2% spending by corporations on CSR activities in the new Companies Bill should be made mandatory to prevent them from avoiding liability. Some challenges remain and businesses should be wary of the non-implementation of CSR initiatives merely for economic reasons.