Crises from climate-induced changes will be unfair, larger, deeper and more far-reaching than that of the financial meltdown of 2008 and the global pandemic of 2020, according to Dr. Joyashree Roy, Bangabandhu Chair Professor, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, and Professor of Economics at Jadavpur University in Kolkata.
Delivering the keynote address at the 10th Subir Raha Memorial Lecture, organised by the UN Global Compact Network India (UNGCNI) in New Delhi on July 7, she delved on the role of diverse stakeholders across the sectors who can make meaningful contribution towards climate action. The theme of the Lecture was “Climate Conversation and the secret of prosperity in 21st Century’.
Dr. Roy said, “It can be clearly predicted that winners will be those who invest in climate-smart ideas and business models. With the increasing demand for sustainable development, environment services are likely to be the key drivers of business affluence. Early movers to emerge as leaders in the prosperous new climate economy needs to recognise standard assets, risks to critical infrastructure, new frontiers in end-use granular technology and invest in people and social capital involving change architects.”
In her address, Dr. Alka Mittal, CMD, ONGC and President, GCNI, said, “The economic benefits of climate action are greater than ever and the costs of inaction are increasing. If we don’t take action today, the damage could be even more lasting than the devastating effects of Covid-19 pandemic. To address climate change, it is critical to act with the same determination and craft climate policies that can make a difference.”
She also paid rich tributes to Subir Raha and called him a visionary leader for the business and an advocate of comprehensive human welfare that included material wellbeing.
Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, Director HR, IOCL, and Chair, Administration Committee GCNI, delivered the opening remarks at the event, which was attended by people from diverse institutions/sectors like PSUs, corporate, civil society organisations, UN agencies and business schools including students from various universities and institutions.
Subir Raha Memorial Lecture is an annual flagship event of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact Network India (GCNI), dedicated to the memory of former Chairman & Managing Director of ONGC Subir Raha. As founder president of UN Global Compact Network, India, he helped set up the organisation in November 2003 and led it till May 2006
