New Delhi: The Sustainable Is Attainable Fest (SIA FEST) by Tata Power, one of India’s largest integrated power companies, and News18, which saw the convergence of leaders from diverse fields, made a decisive bid towards India’s global green leadership. It reinforced the call for mass collective awakening, and behavioural shift, to ensure that India, one of the fastest-growing economies of the world, sets new benchmarks in green energy transition.
Hon'ble Union Power Minister RK Singh hailed India as a global leader in energy transition, and a trailblazer. “Our per capita carbon emissions are one-third of global levels. In the 2015 Paris Summit we pledged that by 2030 we would have 40% of our total energy from non-fossil fuels; we’re already at 42.8% seven years ahead of the deadline. We have also emerged as the most attractive markets for renewables,” said Mr Singh at the Fest.
Hon’ble Union Environment Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav applauded the Sustainable Is Attainable initiative and said such actions galvanize community action. “One Earth, One Future is the right approach to development. We are working with the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to fight climate change. All arms of the government are working together to ensure Sustainable Is Attainable,” Mr. Yadav said.
The one-day SIA Fest, which was a culmination of a mass movement Sustainable is Attainable by India’s two leading corporate groups, not only celebrated India’s rapid march towards a clean energy future, but also listed priorities and set goals for the future.
"SIA Fest is a unique celebration of a mission which promises that sustainable is indeed attainable in our country. It has helped us to create a narrative around how a diverse set of stakeholders have to play a critical role to bring about lasting change. Sabka Prayas or active participation of all will ensure India's journey to energy transition. India is well poised to show the world how a growing economy can drive this transition to clean energy. The movement Sustainable Is Attainable aims to enable a better understanding of the conversation around sustainability and green transition,” said Dr Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD of Tata Power.
Applauding the initiatives of the Government of India, Dr. Sinha highlighted how various initiatives including solarisation of agriculture, electrification of rural areas, and enabling commercial and industrial establishments to adopt rooftop solutions are driving this change towards a greener future.
The Fest also saw participation from corporate leaders, Ambassadors and delegates of foreign embassies in India.
“Both India and the European Union are making massive investments in the transition towards a greener energy mix. India and the European Union together can help shape the global agenda, and work together for the common global good. The fight against climate change is an important component of our strategic partnership. India has experience in terms of scale which is going to be instrumental for global solutions.” H.E. Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India and Bhutan said. “We just cannot park everything with the government, we have to take actions ourselves,” H.E. Freddy Svane, Ambassador of Denmark to India said, while reiterating the need for collective community action for sustainability.” Terming storage as the big hurdle in clean energy, H.E. Naor Gilon, Ambassador of Israel to India, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan highlighted how Israel is working on providing technological solutions for this, especially on storage. Uruguay has set a unique benchmark by getting a total of 98% of its energy requirements from renewables. H.E. Alberto A. Guani, Ambassador of the Republic of Uruguay said that the country embarked on a challenging journey in 2005-06 by bringing together private and public sectors through legislation and created an enabling environment which led to this transition.
The future of India lies firmly in the hands of the present, and it is important that everyone comes together to strive to build a vibrant, clean, green and sustainable tomorrow, said many participants.
Mr. Avinash Kaul, Chief Executive Officer, Network18 (Broadcast) & Managing Director A+E Networks, said, “Our partnership with Tata Power to drive the Green Energy Culture in India is fuelled by our commitment to build awareness and empower the Indian consumers with the knowledge that inspires them to adopt and demand cleaner energy. Over the past few months, we have engaged with our varied audiences across news channels and digital properties with compelling content showcasing how sustainability is attainable. The SIA Fest elevates the movement by instilling conversations amongst policy makers, key opinion leaders, and consumers to drive an attitudinal shift towards sustainable energy.”
The SIA Fest was a significant leap forward for the Sustainable Is Attainable Movement as it created a vibrant platform for fostering dialogue and promoting the adoption of green energy in India. By celebrating sustainability and garnering support from key leaders, the fest aimed to inspire millions of Indians to embrace and achieve sustainable lifestyles.
The Sustainable Is Attainable movement holds immense significance as India acknowledges the urgent need to shift towards renewable and sustainable energy sources, given the detrimental impact of fossil fuels. India aims at achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2070 and position itself as a key leader in the global green energy revolution.
"To foster the Green Energy culture in India through the Sustainable Is Attainable campaign, we have strived hard to raise awareness and empower Indian consumers with the knowledge necessary to embrace and demand cleaner energy solutions. The SIA Fest catapults this movement by bringing key policy makers, leaders, influencers, and change makers on a common platform, paving the way for a green and clean future for India," added Dr. Sinha.
The event also saw felicitations of Champions of Change which included Cochin International Airport, world’s first green airport, which is fully powered by solar energy to meet their electricity requirement; Ms Bhumi Pednekar, India’s first National Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals, appointed by the UNDP; Ms Prachi Shevgaonkar, the young climate innovator, who runs an app and the movement ‘Cool The Globe’ that helps individuals take small actions to reduce their carbon footprints; BluSmart Mobility, India’s first all-electric ride hailing mobility service with a mission to steer towards clean mobility; V-Shesh, which works towards training persons with disabilities to gain employment within the corporate sector; Mr Pradeep Sangwan, founder of Healing Himalayas and Ms Anshu Pragyan Das, Divisional Forest Officer, Hirakud Wildlife Division at Sambalpur & Bargarh districts, Odisha.
The Sustainable Is Attainable campaign's reverberations will be felt among the masses for a long time. The critical call to action of adopting green energy solutions resonates with people and bolsters public awareness.
/BI
