India Inc. is no longer asking whether to go net zero – the question now is how fast, how deep, and how real the transition will be.
Across boardrooms and balance sheets, climate action has become a business imperative. From EV supply chains to green steel trials, Indian corporates are weaving decarbonization into core strategy – not just sustainability reports. These moves align with India’s national ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 and slash emissions intensity by 45% by 2030.
The ambition is real. The progress is visible. But for many companies, the path from vision to verified impact remains under construction.
The Net-Zero Boom: Where India Stands
India’s 2070 net-zero pledge is backed by ambitious milestones from scaling 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 to slashing emissions intensity 45% below 2005 levels.
Key government bodies like MoEF&CC, MNRE, BEE, and NITI Aayog are working in sync, while financial enablers such as IREDA, PFC, and SBI are unlocking green capital flows.
Still, the numbers are sobering. India needs over $10 trillion in climate investment by 2070 and faces a shortfall of more than $215 billion by 2030. The private sector won’t just support this transition – it will define its success.
The Emissions Gap
India currently emits nearly 2.9 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually. If no corrective measures are taken, that number could climb past 3.5 billion tonnes by 2070. Staying on a net-zero trajectory means reversing course today – not decades from now.
This is no longer just about environmental responsibility. Businesses that lead decarbonization will gain access to green capital, protect long-term value, and navigate growing compliance pressures with agility.
What We Need to Know — and Act On
Despite a surge in climate pledges, India’s high-emission industries — like cement, steel, and aviation – remain largely on the sidelines. These sectors account for over 50% of national emissions yet make up a small fraction of corporate net-zero commitments.
Adding to the challenge, Scope 3 emissions, often the largest part of a company’s carbon footprint, are still largely unmeasured. Less than 15% of Indian firms track them today. As SEBI’s BRSR+ and global investor expectations evolve, this blind spot poses a growing credibility and compliance risk.
But there’s a clear upside for early adopters. Companies with strong ESG frameworks are already unlocking lower-cost capital – sometimes by 30–50 basis points. As Dr. Arunabha Ghosh of CEEW quoted in Business Standard:
“Financial regulators like RBI and SEBI need to create an enabling ecosystem for financing India’s transition to a green economy.”
That shift is underway. But it’s the companies who align early — with verifiable, transparent frameworks — that will be best positioned to thrive in India’s emerging carbon economy.
The Corporate Net-Zero Playbook
The companies leading this transformation aren’t waiting for mandates — they’re building internal systems for scale. Infosys and Wipro have integrated internal carbon pricing into capital planning. Mahindra & Mahindra is pushing EV adoption through a 2040 net-zero commitment. Reliance Industries and Adani are making multibillion-dollar bets on green hydrogen and solar.
In harder-to-abate sectors, firms like JSW, Vedanta, and Dalmia Cement are beginning to model decarbonization at the process level — a shift from offsetting to operational change.
But to move from ambition to market advantage, one thing is clear: these initiatives must be backed by robust systems for Scope 3 measurement and MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification). These aren’t just tools for reporting — they’re the foundation for accessing carbon credits, unlocking sustainable finance, and maintaining global competitiveness.
We C.A.R.E.
India’s climate transition won’t be driven by policy alone. It will take coordinated action — across sectors, industries, and regions. That’s the role CARE Expo 2025 is designed to play.
Held this September in New Delhi, CARE will convene business leaders, policymakers, financiers, and innovators to engage on:
- Real-world approaches to Scope 3 and MRV
- The evolving carbon pricing landscape
- Pathways to align business ambition with credible climate finance
CARE isn’t where the story ends — it’s where climate execution begins.
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