Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

One of the few positive outcomes of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) is the commitment by major nations to achieve net zero carbon emissions by a certain year. <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has also committed to becoming a net zero country by 2070. While some developed nations may have scoffed at this timeline, the reality is that nations with different developmental trajectories cannot (and should not) be treated equally. The major polluters must first walk the talk and then expect others to follow suit. While it is a never-ending blame game between the developed and developing nations, in the interest of humanity and for their own well-being, the nations must do everything within their powers to ensure that they keep their emissions under control. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Policy initiatives in India" comment="subhead" text="Policy initiatives in India">Policy initiatives in India</cmsannotation> India has taken several measures towards climate change adaptation and mitigation. Our statutory framework ensures that air and water pollution is prevented and controlled, forests are conserved and restored, biological diversity is protected, and energy is generated and utilised efficiently to ensure minimal environmental impact. The Government has launched various policy initiatives to work towards its climate change commitments. The national and state action plans on climate change aim at integrating such climate action into their modus operandi. Among national schemes, the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME-II) focuses on clean mobility and is meant to promote the transition to electric vehicles by providing incentives for manufacturing, adoption and development of associated infrastructure for electric vehicles. Financial assistance is being offered at the central and state levels for developing solar and wind energy projects like solar parks, grid-connected solar rooftops in residential buildings, installing off-grid solar devices and solar-based LED lights. Initiatives like Gujarat Emissions Trading Scheme, Renewable Energy Certificate, Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) Scheme are all meant to promote renewables, reduce emissions and achieve energy efficiency at the central and state levels. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Recent impetus to climate action" comment="subhead" text="Recent impetus to climate action">Recent impetus to climate action</cmsannotation> Some important and innovative schemes initiated in India to combat climate change include the India Cooling Action Plan 2019, which aims to reduce direct and indirect emissions from energy-intensive cooling devices like refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. The National Clean Air Program 2019 aims to reduce air pollution and addresses several forms of harmful emissions. The National Hydrogen Mission launched in 2021 aims to help India achieve its climate targets by making India a green hydrogen hub. India is also targeting to increase the usage of alternative fuels to reduce emissions by blending 20% Ethanol in petrol by 2025. Moreover, policies like National Building Code, 2016, Energy Conservation Building Code, 2017, Buildings Energy Efficiency Programme, green energy rating system, star rating programme, etc., seek to promote sustainability in the construction sector by improving energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, recycling, etc. The union budget for the financial year 2022-23 also announced initiatives for financing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies through sovereign green bonds, blended finance, etc. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Local and regional climate action" comment="subhead" text="Local and regional climate action">Local and regional climate action</cmsannotation> In addition to the various central government initiatives being implemented across the country, various states are devising their own strategies and plan to combat climate change. States like Gujarat, Odisha, and <keyword id="20154" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tamil-nadu" source="Orion">Tamil Nadu</keyword> have constituted specific departments and cells to focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation. Kerala has announced a dedicated fund for this purpose and has issued green bonds to invest in climate resilience activities. <keyword id="13126" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="maharashtra" source="Orion">Maharashtra</keyword> has released the Mumbai Climate Action Plan to address climate change impacts in the coastal megacity and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. It is not just the central and state governments but also the corporates are taking active steps to combat climate change. More than sixty Indian companies have announced their net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets. Leading Indian companies, including <keyword id="8555" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tata" source="Orion">Tata</keyword>, Reliance, Mahindra, ITC, Adani Transmission, Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel, and Dalmia Cement, have voluntarily pledged to move towards carbon neutrality through GHG emissions reduction and energy efficiency. With environmental, social and governance (<keyword id="77363" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="esg" source="Orion">ESG</keyword>) issues gaining prominence and ESG reporting becoming mandatory for the top 1000 companies, almost all major companies are addressing ESG issues to set their house in order and adopt the best practices. Various Indian banks have also incorporated ESG considerations into their lending policies. Therefore, be it the government or the private sector, every stakeholder has realised the importance of climate action and is working to prevent the planetary crisis, which, not to forget, affects almost all living species, including humans. <keyword id="12498063" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nawneet-vibhaw" source="Orion">Nawneet Vibhaw</keyword> is a <keyword id="6399933" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="partner" source="Orion">Partner</keyword> at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas &amp; Co. in the Environmental Law practice. This column is part of a year-long (2022-23) campaign on the theme “Only One Earth: Sustaining People, Planet and Prosperity” by Business Insider India’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability">Sustainability Insider</a>. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the author/interviewee do not necessarily reflect the views of Business Insider India. The article has been partly edited for length and clarity.

OPINION: Towards a carbon-neutral India — How central, state governments, and corporations are striving to tackle the planetary crisis

<ul><li>Environmental, social, and governance (<keyword id="77363" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="ESG">ESG</keyword>) stocks are offering better long term returns than the large caps on the Nifty 50.</li><li>ESG compliance may just be the latest fad, but it's forcing companies to take a serious look at their research and development, social policies, and what kind of impact they’re having on the environment.</li><li>The more ESG compliant a company is, the more investors will perceive it as being sustainable in the long run and more willing the investor will be to put in their money.</li></ul>On <keyword id="11137454" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Earth-Day-2021">Earth Day 2021</keyword>, the theme selected by The <keyword id="6453991" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Earth-Day">Earth Day</keyword> Network is restoring the planet in times of crisis. And this time, market forces are at play too. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) is relatively new but there is big money chasing it already. More than a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/11/coronavirus-esg-and-sustainable-funds-surpass-1-trillion-for-the-first-time.html">$1 trillion</a> have been invested in companies that are making efforts towards sustainable development, which includes workplace diversity and transparency, aside from tackling climate change. And this investment in ESG-compliant companies seems to be giving more returns than other categories. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[<div class="flourish-embed flourish-chart" data-src="visualisation/5930992"></div>]]></cdata></div> An increasing number of investors are starting to care. “Companies go by profit maximization. When they clearly see that they have every reason to comply and this compliance will ensure that they’re better off also in terms of the profit that they earn, that’s where they’ll start doing it on their own,” Nawneet Vibhaw, a partner at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas &amp; Co with a specialisation in environmental law, told Business Insider. The more ESG compliant a company is, the more investors will perceive it as being sustainable in the long run. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="ESG and its money pull" comment="subhead" text="ESG and its money pull">ESG and its money pull</cmsannotation> There are a total of 10 ESG funds available in India. This includes new entrants like Axis ESG Fund, Mirae Asset Mutual Fund’s ESG Exchange ETF, and the ICICI Prudential ESG Fund. Some have been around for longer than others. And, they’re not all the same — varying by market cap and sector preferences — but the common denominator is that they all use ESG scoring to determine companies worth investing in. Top five performing ESG mutual funds in India: <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Fund </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Return percentage as on March 31, 2021: </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Three months </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Six months </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">One year </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Axis ESG Equity </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-0.51% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">23.53% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">44.14% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">SBI Magnum Equity ESG Fund </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-2.16% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">21.56% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">53.30% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Quantum India ESG Equity Fund Regular Growth </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1.94% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">25.86% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">64.85% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">ICICI Prudential ESG Fund Regular Growth (Launched October 2020) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-1.78% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">15.25% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">- </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Quant ESG Equity Fund Regular Growth (Launched October 2020) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">10.35% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund Regular Growth (Launched December 2020) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1.23% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: MorningStar The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced ESG for the top 1,000 companies on the stock exchanges in September, last year. The process is voluntary for now, but will be made mandatory once the next financial year kicks in. To be part of the ESG wave, companies have to share information with the regulator about redressal procedures for complaints, research and development for better social and environmental outcomes, and provisions for the differently abled. When it comes to the environment, they’re required to disclose the amount of energy consumed, water usage, and how sustainable are the input materials being used. Companies realise that if they don’t score very high on the ESG front, they may not find investors willing to shell out capital. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is ESG?" comment="subhead" text="What is ESG?"><keyword id="11138302" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="what-is-eSG">What is ESG</keyword>?</cmsannotation> ESG is basically a set of metrics that helps stakeholders determine if a business is sustainable. This includes things like workplace diversity, addressing climate change, and transparency. And, when investors are looking for companies that will survive any economic upheavals — like a pandemic or natural calamities — they look at the companies’ ESG score. This means big wig companies are more likely to put their money in companies that ESG compliant than those which are not. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Why does the ESG score matter?" comment="subhead" text="Why does the ESG score matter?">Why does the ESG score matter?</cmsannotation> You can think of ESG like future proofing a company. Being ESG compliant means that a company is claiming to address issues like climate change and discrimination, that could create bigger hurdles in the future. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is the problem with ESG?" comment="subhead" text="What is the problem with ESG?">What is the problem with ESG?</cmsannotation> The only criticism of ESG is that it’s more for the press and there is no one checking if net-zero promises and pollution control measures are actually being implemented on the ground. People who track the space say that the process of cross-checking isn’t in full force yet. “ESG investing faces its own set of challenges, the primary one is a lack of quality data. In our experience the lack of data has been not because companies don’t have good sustainability practices, it’s just that the disclosures are lacking,” said <a href="https://www.morningstar.in/posts/62487/esg-funds-available-india.aspx">Morning Star</a> in its report. Even so, the trend of investing in the right places, even if compliance checks come in later in a step in the right direction. “ESG is great for now, let’s see how it’s actually implemented, how companies actually comply with it over the course of the next four-five years. That’s sufficient time for actually making a lot of improvements,” said Vibhaw. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/revolut-appoints-former-flipkart-exec-paroma-chatterjee-as-its-india-ceo/articleshow/82181199.cms">Revolut starts India operations, appoints former Lendingkart, Flipkart executive Paroma Chatterjee as CEO</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/hero-motocorp-nestle-india-hdfc-and-other-top-stocks-to-watch-out-for-on-april-22/slidelist/82190984.cms">Hero MotoCorp, Nestle India, HDFC and other top stocks to watch out for on April 22</a>

Earth Day: The impact of ESG investing on environment is not clear⁠— but its effect on money is real

You Searched For "nawneet vibhaw" and got 2 results

OPINION: Towards a carbon-neutral India — How central, state governments, and corporations are striving to tackle the planetary crisis

Nawneet Vibhaw

Earth Day: The impact of ESG investing on environment is not clear⁠— but its effect on money is real

Prabhjote Gill

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides