Prakash Javadekar urges business leaders to invest in technology to reduce carbon emissions

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has urged corporations and entrepreneurs to invest in innovation and technology to reduce carbon emissions.

"We (government) are taking steps to ensure efficient use of electricity and also to bring down carbon emissions. But now it is the responsibility of the business community as well to take up this challenge," the Forests and Environment Minister told a gathering at TERI Leadership Summit through a recorded message on 7 June.

He said there was a need to reduce the usage of water by adopting reuse and recycling. "We will have to find new ways to reduce consumption of water and energy and also carbon emissions. We have already released the new norms for emission and it has been well accepted by the industry. But now it needs to be implemented by them," Javadekar said.

The minister also urged corporations to reduce their dependency on foreign technologies while also asked them to adopt new technologies.

"They will have to invest in innovation and not just depend on foreign technology. This is an opportunity for Indian businesses and (to) support Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Make in India' and 'Made in India'," Javadekar said.

In his address, TERI Director General Ajay Mathur said, "there is an urgent need for the pace and scope of the clean energy activities of Indian corporates to accelerate so as to lead alignment with the country's climate change commitments. We look forward to the strengthening of corporate actions".

-With agency inputs