Carbon Neutrality Starts with Buildings. Mainstreaming SDGs & Carbon Neutrality in the Universities

​21^st Sept 2021, Kolkata, For the first time ever, one of the largest industry associations and leading civil society organizations together forged a partnership that will be a game-changer in the practical education of sustainable development. "United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the seventeen interlinked pillars for a better and balanced world of tomorrow. TERRE Policy Centre and ASSOCHAM are joining the hands today to enhance the cooperation between business and universities to mainstream the United Nations SDGs in education" said Prashant Bhalla, Chairman, ASSOCHAM National Council of Education while launching the formidable partnership between two NGOs. "Such partnership would enable the universities to transform the student community into SDGs-ready community of citizens", added Mr Bhalla who is also President, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions.

Dr Bhalla was speaking at the webinar that delineated the crucial link between UN SDGs and Carbon Neutrality. It was arranged on the occasion of the signing of MOUs between ASSOCHAM and TERRE. All the world leaders agreed to work towards attaining the seventeen SDGs by 2015. The global goals have to be achieved by 2030. The current decade ending in 2030 has begun and is called by United Nations as 'Decade of Action'. Though SDG 7 and SDG 13 specifically call for action on climate change, all other goals have indirect links with climate change and each other. Action on one would be benefitting other global goals.

At the time when Climate Change is manifesting itself into disastrous consequences in all the continents of the world, the time to debate and discuss has already passed. What is needed is forceful, proactive, forward-looking actions. TERRE Policy Centre and ASSOCHAM, having their roots deep into India's aspirations, agreed to work together to redefine the dynamics of sustainable development and climate-friendly growth. What's more, they agreed to strive to deploy technology-driven tools of the cyber age to skill the students to enable them to address the challenges posed by the Earth's degrading ecosystems.

"This partnership is unique as it kicks off the process of carbon neutrality as well as the mechanism of mainstreaming SDGs. While TERRE has adopted essential agenda of skilling the students to attain the SDGs, including making universities climate-ready, ASSOCHAM would begin the vital work by certifying the buildings in the campus as ' Green Building'. At its essence, we are bringing business and civil society on one platform to build the climate-friendly future of the young generation without harming the earth's essential ecosystems and resources," said Dr Rajendra Shende, Chairman of TERRE Policy Centre. The action between ASSOCHAM and TERRE has taken place at the beginning of the Decade of Action. The implementation and attainment of the UN SDGs and Climate Neutrality should be accelerated as both have become very urgent aspects. Paryavaran Sanrakshan Gatividhi, a national organization to protect the environment joined in organizing a webinar.

Mr Pankaj Dharkar, Chairman, ASSOCHAM GEM (Green & Eco-friendly Movement) Green Building Council President and Pankaj Dharkar associates, introduced and emphasized the advantages of the ASSOCHAM GEM Green Building Certification Program. The program is applicable to Indian Climatic Conditions and all typology buildings new & existing; The existing GEM Green Building Certification has continuously improved to align with the UN SDGs 2030 program.

Mr Gopal Arya, National Convenor, Paryavaran Sanrakshan Gatividhi, shared his thoughts on globalizing the traditional practices for sustainable development and moving towards the Virtual Environment.

Ar. Vijay Garg, Joint Chairman, ASSOCHAM GEM Committee on institutional Collaborations expressed that the event would go a long way in connecting all universities particularly Higher Educational Institutes with ASSOCHAM GEM Council. He also stated that water and air have become important and costliest natural resources and hence resources need to be conserved.

Mr Kunwar Shekhar Vijendra, Co-Chairman ASSOCHAM National Council on Education, quoted "We Build Campuses to Build Life". He mentioned 'Paryavaran Sanrakshan Abhiyan' focusing on 5 components - water, land, forest, animal, and human. The survival of the human is only possible when the other 4 factors are managed and conserved properly.

Mr Sandeep Narang, Co-Chair Students Activities Committee, ASSOCHAM GEM Green Building Council, quoted "Green India is not possible without Green Citizens with Green Minds".

MoU was displayed to witness the TERRE-ASSOCHAM association. Vinit Gupta, Co-Chairman, ASSOCHAM National Council on Education, presented a vote of thanks and the way forward of the collaboration.