Ecological Sustainability

India's green building market to reach $85 bn by FY32: Equirus Capital

Sustainable real estate gains momentum as certified green buildings attract higher demand, stronger returns, and premium valuations across major Indian cities

Being an Oak shows the hidden life and lessons of a 240-year-old tree

Through the life of Quercus the acorn and his woodland kin, Being an Oak reveals nature's quiet power to change, adapt, and heal when left alone

SC decides to appoint amicus over 'ecological imbalance' in Himachal

The Supreme Court on Monday decided to appoint an amicus curiae to assist it in a matter over the ecological imbalance in Himachal Pradesh. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a suo motu case over the ecological and environmental conditions in Himachal Pradesh. On July 28, a different bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said the state might "vanish in thin air" if the situation did not change. On Monday, Himachal Pradesh's advocate general and additional advocate general informed the bench about a report being filed by the state on August 23. The top court posted the matter after four weeks. Observing the situation in the state had deteriorated, the apex court in July said climate change was having a "visible and alarming impact" on the state. The top court was then dealing with a petition against an order of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, which declined to entertain a plea challenging the state's June 2025 notification declaring certain ar

Luxury industry needs to adopt climate-friendly practices: Experts

Climate change is a pressing challenge for the luxury goods industry, and businesses have to adopt environment-friendly practices to address this issue, entrepreneurs and experts say. They added that the luxury industry views sustainability as the future of high-end businesses, and companies that prioritise ecology will gain long-term benefits. "Climate change is staring at each of us and environmental consciousness and responsible actions by people and businesses can help both the ecology and the economy," they said at the 'Sasmrti - The Responsible Luxury Roundtable' here. The deliberations were organised by Shweta Thakur Nanda, and Gautam Gupta, co-owner of luxury fashion brand 'Asha Gautam'. Speaking at the function, Blossom Kochhar, Chairperson, Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies, said that the industry must act and live sustainably not just for "ourselves but for our future generations". Sharing similar views, Lipika Sud, Founder Director of LIpika Sud Interiors, said that t

'The Search for India's Rarest Birds' showcases India's rich bird diversity

The Search for India's Rarest Birds is an extremely interesting read for anyone who wants to know more about birds

Govt revises quality control order to promote high-quality PV products

The government has notified a revised Quality Control Order (QCO) to promote high-quality and efficient solar photovoltaic (PV) products, an official statement said on Wednesday. The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has notified the Solar Systems, Devices, and Components Goods Order, 2025, which revises and supersedes the existing Solar Photovoltaics, Systems, Devices, and Components Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2017. "The order aligns with the government's commitment to promoting high-quality and efficient solar photovoltaic (PV) products for sustainable energy development. It aims to enhance product reliability, ensure safety, and support India's ambitious renewable energy targets," the MNRE statement said. The revised order will come into effect 180 days from the date of publication. The order covers Solar PV modules, Inverters to be used in solar PV applications and storage batteries.

Goyal calls for sustainable consumption pattern to cut carbon footprint

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday called for promoting sustainable consumption patterns to cut carbon footprint and resolve issues of environment. He said that people of the world would have to focus on consuming products which are environmentally sustainable. "We need to be conscious of the waste and carbon footprint due to our current lifestyle patterns. This is going to be a core of a better future for the world. Unless we address the consumption patterns, we are not going to resolve sustainability and environmental challenges," Goyal said. The minister was addressing CII's Partnership Summit here. He added that environmental challenges are not a function of the carbon emitted through manufacturing, but "it is a greater function of the carbon caused by (our) consumption because manufacturing comes only because there is a consumption demand". He suggested managing that demand in a better and more sustainable way. Speaking at the event, M K Nir Barkat, Minist

Sustainability summit: Six water sanitation startups win Rs 25 lakh each

For 29-year-old Shilpa K Nayana, nothing, not even her four-month-old baby son, Rio aka Rayan Nayana Arjun, could come in the way, as she pitches her already award-winning project Jalam, at Karnataka Water and Sanitation Sustainability Summit held in Bengaluru. She was among the 20 startup social entrepreneurs shortlisted from 119 applications to pitch their project at the summit on October 29. As the summit wound up late in the evening, six of the 20 were announced as winners of a grant of Rs 25 lakh and a chance to pilot their innovations in collaboration with the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR). Nayana's project Jalam, a low-cost water filtration technology that can be used at household level as well as community level, was among the six chosen projects. "The working cost for decontamination of water with my filter that uses nanotechnology is as low as Rs 2 per litre," said the social entrepreneur who envisioned Jalam as her final year project when she w

COP-16: World's 1st global ecosystem atlas unveiled; how will it help biz

The new initiative aims to help governments, businesses, financial institutions, and local communities to make informed decisions, support sustainability and manage risks

World Animal Day 2024: History, significance, theme, quotes and more

World Animal Day is observed every year on October 4 to highlight the importance of animals and spread awareness for their welfare to maintain ecological balance

$8 trn opportunity in sustainable cooling for developing economies: Report

The cooling market in developing economies is expected to grow from around USD 300 billion to USD 600 billion, at least, per year by 2050, according to a new report. The report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)-led Cool Coalition and International Finance Corporation (IFC) said the fastest growth in cooling is expected in Africa, which will see the market multiply by a factor of seven, and South Asia, which will quadruple in size. The report titled "Cooler Finance: Mobilizing Investment for the Developing World's Sustainable Cooling Needs" also called for prioritising passive, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and economically viable cooling solutions. It said that about two thirds of emissions related to cooling in 2022 came from developing countries and this share could grow above 80 per cent by 2050. This is due to population growth, economic expansion, and urbanisation. The report found that sustainable cooling technologies can slash cooling-related emissions by

'India preps for next 1000 years, building sustainable energy path': PM

The Prime Minister highlighted the efforts towards achieving the target of 500 GW by 2030

Investors demanded sustainability over rapid growth: GoMechanic's Kakkar

Car services and repair platform GoMechanic's investors sought customer-focused, sustainable growth over rapid growth that helped the troubled startup get back on its feet, Co-Founder Muskan Kakkar said on Wednesday. She was speaking about the brand's revival journey during a panel discussion at the 51st edition of the AIMA National Management Convention here. Founded in 2016, GoMechanic was on the verge of breakdown about a year-and-a-half ago after anomalies were found in its financial records. In March 2023, it was acquired by Servizzy, a subsidiary of the Lifelong Group. A customer-focused approach helped the "sinking ship" bounce back, Kakkar said. "Thanks to our investors -- Lifelong, Hero and Stride Ventures -- who trusted us by saying that they do not need exponential growth in the business, but a business which is more sustainable, a business which can stay there forever," she said. That's how the company has not been going for exponential growth, but is working to make

Developed economy should also be developed ecology: Environment minister

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Saturday said there is a need to balance economic development of the country with ecology, as both are interconnected. Human-centric approach to development is insufficient, he said, speaking at an event at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay -- Ideas4LiFE - Lifestyle for Environment' -- that aims to inspire innovative environmental solutions. "A developed economy should be a developed ecology too....there is interconnectedness between all life forms. Life extends beyond human needs, therefore, there should be harmonious coexistence of all living beings and the environment," the minister said. Ideas4LiFE - Lifestyle for Environment' has been organised in collaboration with the Maharashtra Environment Department to engage students, faculty and researchers nationwide in generating ideas promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle. The minister further urged students to embrace environmental consciousness

Wayanad an eye-opener for Goa, no compromise on ecological stability: CM

The devastating landslides in Wayanad in Kera are an eye-opener for Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Thursday. Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains hit Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha hamlets in the early hours of Tuesday, killing 190 people, including women and children, so far, while more than 200 are missing. "The Wayanad tragedy is an eye-opener for Goa. I have given instructions to various departments that ecologically sensitive areas, which are prone to such incidents should not be touched. The stability of such ecologically sensitive places cannot be compromised," the CM said in the assembly. "A system will be developed to report and monitor hill cutting in the state. The government has identified four landslide hot-spots located in high altitudes in the north-eastern, eastern parts and in low-lying areas of western and south-western parts," he said. The major cause of landslides in Goa are found to be extreme rainfall events, slope ...

Sustainability has to be at core of development in 21st century: UNGA prez

UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis has said that there is no conflict between promoting sustainability and economic growth and development, underscoring that sustainability has to be the anchor for development in the 21st century. Francis will convene the UN's first-ever Sustainability Week' April 15-19 under the theme Paving the Way for a Sustainable Future' at the world body's headquarters here. The week will feature dedicated events focused on sustainability in critical sectors such as tourism, infrastructure connectivity, transport, energy and debt. The reality is that sustainability has to be the anchor for development in the 21st century. Since we are talking about prioritizing people and the planet, the sustainability dimension of things lies at the very heart of everything we are seeking to do developmentally in the UN, Francis, President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, told PTI in an exclusive interview here. We have identified five key areas or .

Over half of GCCs in India 'actively' adopting ESG agenda: Report

70% 'actively looking' for technology collaborations to implement ESG norms, says EY

From ecosystems to economics: The potential of a 'species stock exchange'

Creating interdependence between funding and ecological outcomes can establish an accountable framework, augmenting the efficacy of conservation initiatives

India's maiden critical minerals bid: Experts caution on ecological impact

During the launch of the auction process on November 29, Union Minister of Mines Pralhad Joshi said that the collective value of these 20 blocks was estimated to be $5.4 billion (Rs 45,000 crore)

Maintaining ecological balance can get rid of many diseases: Experts

Nature and health go hand-in-hand and maintaining the ecological balance can help get rid of many diseases and also prevent recurrence of pandemics, experts in Ayurveda said at the Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF) here on Sunday. Environmental activist Dr Vandana Shiva was of the view that life on the planet was "a democracy working in harmony" and destroying diversity leads to creation of chronic diseases, a government release said. She was speaking at a plenary session on 'Paryavaran Ayurveda' ( Ecology in Ayurveda) held as part of the fifth Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF 2023) at Greenfield International Stadium at nearby Karyavattom. The central theme of the five-day conclave, which began on December 1, is "Emerging Challenges in Healthcare and a Resurgent Ayurveda." Addressing the gathering of delegates from 70 nations, Shiva, known for spearheading campaigns for preserving traditional agricultural practices, said that preserving biodiversity was crucial to sustaining food ...