Fiinovation webinar on Poverty,Climate Change & Affirmative Action

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Poverty, Climate Change Affirmative Action
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Mentor of the Webinar
Mr. Soumitro Chakraborty CEO, Fiinovation
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About Fiinovation

• A CSR based research organization working in
  areas of education, livelihood, environment and
  health since last seven years
• Assists businesses to support requirements of
  communities by designing and implementation of
  sustainable projects
• Through practices such as CSR-CSO Partnership,
  Initiative Design, Initiative Management,
  Monitoring and Evaluation, Impact Assessment
  Fiinovation supports corporations for
  implementation of CSR and Sustainability
  initiatives

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Agenda of the Webinar

• Providing insights on climate change, poverty and
  affirmative action
• Understanding the alignment between poverty and
  climate change
• Highlighting the role of affirmative action to
  address concerns of the marginalized
• Exploring options of engagement for the private
  sector
• Information on CSR and sustainability initiatives
• Government plans to counter climate change
• Way forward

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Climate Change

• Long-term shift in weather patterns in a specific
  region or at global level.
• Nowadays, climate change can be observed in the
  form of global warming.
• Global warming is the sudden rise in atmospheric
  temperatures due to increased emissions of
  greenhouse gases which are generated through
  unsustainable human activities.
• The consequences of global warming can be
  observed in the form of
• Climate change adds to the existing burden of the
  people living below the poverty line.

• Melting of glaciers
• Rise in sea-levels
• Flash floods
• Increase in intensity of extreme weather events
  such as heat waves, tornadoes, hurricanes and
  heavy rainfall
• Severe droughts
• Endangerment of species
• Loss of biodiversity
• Decrease in agricultural yields,
• Widespread vector-borne diseases
• Acidification of oceans
• Death of coral reefs.

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Impact of Climate Change Global Context

• The impact of climate change can be observed
  globally through melting of glaciers, ocean
  acidification, unseasonal rains, heat waves etc
• Climate change poses threat to food security
  across the globe
• Increase in the number of cases of health
  concerns such as Asthama, Malaria, Dengue,
  Diarrhea etc
• Unbalanced ecosystems and extinction of species
• Negative impact on the local economy of a
  particular region

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Impact of Climate Change Indian Context

• Rise in temperatures and heat waves during summer
• Major states Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra
  Pradesh, U.P., Rajasthan, Gujarat are drought hit
• Marginalized sections are being pushed towards
  extreme poverty
• Unseasonal rains leading to loss of crops
• Increased scarcity of water, drying up of rivers,
  barrages, reservoirs, ground water etc.
• Reduction in crop yields, lower productivity and
  income
• Increased risk to human health, especially among
  women and children
• Threat to endangered species, bio-diversity
• Climate Change negatively impacts poverty through
  prices, assets, productivity and opportunities

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Alignment of Climate Change Poverty

• Climate change aggravates causes of poverty and
  inequality. Both can obstruct achievement of
  sustainable global development.
• Climate change has direct and immediate impact on
  people below the poverty line. This makes poverty
  reduction more difficult.
• It pulls away resources that allow proper
  functionality of livelihood, health, environment,
  etc.
• Ignoring the impacts of climate change leads to a
  lack of direction to address the socio-economic
  and environmental concerns.

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Challenges to the Alignment of Climate Change and
Poverty

• Shortage of funds
• Climate change and poverty policies run parallel
  and not in convergence with each other
• Not much engagement is observed in broader
  environmental issues
• Limited discussions and negotiations with all
  stakeholders
• Lack of synergy among relevant thematic working
  group
• Inadequate strategies and planning among
  government and corporations to address the
  climate change and poverty issues

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Why We Should Act?

• Climate change can push 45 million Indians into
  poverty in the next 15 years.
• Drop in crop yields lead to rise in cost of food.
  Globally, rise in food prices affected 100
  million people in 2008 and 44 million people in
  2010-11.
• Global warming of 2 degrees could increase the
  number of people at risk from malaria by 5 and
  diarrhea by 10.
• Loss of labour productivity by 1-3.
• Increased occurrence and intensity of natural
  hazards such as droughts, river flooding and heat
  waves.
• Over the last two decades the sea levels has
  risen to over 8 inches

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Poverty Scenario in India

• The World Bank estimates that in the absence of
  climate change, 189 million Indians will be
  living below the poverty line (i.e. on less than
  1.9 or INR 127 a day) by 2030. Climate change
  could push this number to as high as 234 million.
• In 2012, India accounted to have the largest
  number of people below the poverty line in any
  country.
• India's poverty rate is one of the lowest among
  countries with largest number of people below the
  poverty line.
• Despite the rising inequality and acceleration
  post 1991 a downward trend in poverty measures
  has been observed since 1970.
• Majority of the population below the poverty line
  belong to the discriminated sections of society.

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Population Classification
Indicator Absolute Absolute Percentage Percentage Growth rate (2001-11)
Indicator 2001 2011 2001 2011 Growth rate (2001-11)
Total Population Total Population Total Population Total Population Total Population Total Population
Total 1,02,86,10,328 1,21,05,69,573 100.0 100.0 17.7
Rural 74,23,02,537 83,34,63,448 100.0 100.0 12.3
Urban 28,63,07,791 37,71,06,125 100.0 100.0 31.7
Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes
Total 16,66,35,700 20,13,78,086 16.2 16.6 20.8
Rural 13,30,10,878 15,38,50,562 17.9 18.5 15.7
Urban 3,36,24,822 4,75,27,524 11.7 12.6 41.3
Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes
Total 8,43,26,240 10,42,81,034 8.2 8.6 23.7
Rural 7,73,38,597 9,38,19,162 10.4 11.3 21.3
Urban 69,87,643 1,04,61,872 2.4 2.8 49.7
Source Primary Census Abstract for Total
population, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes, 2011 Office of the
Registrar General Census Commissioner, India
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Concentration - SCs STs
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Poverty Ratio for Social Groups

• In rural areas, STs exhibit highest level of
  poverty (47.4), followed by SCs (42.3) and OBCs
  (31.9), against 33.8 for all classes.
• In urban areas, SCs have HCR of 34.1 followed by
  STs (30.4) and OBCs (24.3) against 20.9 for
  all classes.
• In rural Bihar and Chhattisgarh, nearly two-third
  of SCs and STs are poor whereas, in states such
  as Manipur, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh the poverty
  ratio for these groups is more than half.

Source Press Note on Poverty Estimates, 2009-10
- GOI, Planning Commission, March 2012
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Poverty Percentage Among Social Groups
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Poverty Percentage Among Social Groups
Rural
--- Data not available in the official estimates
for 1993-94 Source Planning Commission
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Percentage to Total Population 2011
State/Union Territory Percentage State/Union Territory Percentage
Top 5 Top 5 Bottom 5 Bottom 5
Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes
Punjab 31.9 Mizoram 0.1
Himachal Pradesh 25.2 Meghalaya 0.6
West Bengal 23.5 Goa 1.7
Uttar Pradesh 20.7 D N Haveli 1.8
Haryana 20.2 Daman Diu 2.5
Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes
Lakshadweep 94.8 Uttar Pradesh 0.6
Mizoram 94.4 Tamil Nadu 1.1
Nagaland 86.5 Bihar 1.3
Meghalaya 86.1 Kerala 1.5
Arunachal Pradesh 68.8 Uttarakhand 2.9
Source Primary Census Abstract for Total
population, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes, 2011 Office of the
Registrar General Census Commissioner, India
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Percentage to Total Population 2011 (Major States)
State/Union Territory Percentage State/Union Territory Percentage
Top 5 Top 5 Bottom 5 Bottom 5
Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes
Punjab 31.9 Gujarat 6.7
West Bengal 23.5 Assam 7.2
Uttar Pradesh 20.7 Jammu Kashmir 7.4
Haryana 20.2 Kerala 9.1
Tamil Nadu 20.0 Maharashtra 11.8
Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Tribes
Chhattisgarh 30.6 Uttar Pradesh 0.6
Jharkhand 26.2 Tamil Nadu 1.1
Odisha 22.8 Bihar 1.3
Madhya Pradesh 21.1 Kerala 1.5
Gujarat 14.8 Uttarakhand 2.9
Source Primary Census Abstract for Total
population, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes, 2011 Office of the
Registrar General Census Commissioner, India
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Why Affirmative Action?

• Reverse discrimination
• Positive action for historically discriminated
  sections
• Address poverty and climate change issues
• Promote inclusive and holistic development by
  reducing rising disparity
• Directly benefit those who are most vulnerable
• It can be utilized as a tool to fight poverty and
  global warming by focusing on methods of
  environment conservation and risk mitigation of
  climate change
• It was noted that majority of the farmers
  committing suicides in drought-hit Maharashtra
  belong to SC community

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How can AA address Climate Change Poverty?
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Climate Change Policies of Government of India

• The National Action Plan on Climate Change
  identifies measures that promote development
  objectives
• Focusing on promotion of understanding of climate
  change, adaption and mitigation, energy
  efficiency and natural resource conservation.
  This includes eight national missions, namely
• National Solar Mission
• National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
• National Water Mission
• National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan
  Ecosystem
• National Mission for Green India
• National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for
  Climate Change
• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
• National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency

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Contd...
Mission Targets Responsible Entity Allocation of funds for 12th plan (in billion)
Mission focused on mitigation
National Solar Mission 20,000 MW of solar power by 2020 Ministry of new renewable energy INR 87.95
National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency 10,000 MW of EE savings by 2020 Ministry of power INR 1.90
National Mission For Sustainable Habitat EE in residential and commercial buildings, public transport, solid waste management Ministry of urban development INR 9.50
Source Ministry of Environment, Forests
Climate Change, GOI
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Contd...
Targets Responsible Entity Allocation of funds for 12th plan (in billion)
Mission focused on Adaptation
National Water Mission Water conservation, river basin management Ministry of Water resources INR 891
National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem Conservation and adaptation practices, glacial monitoring Ministry of Science and Technology INR 16.95
National Mission for a Green India 6 million hectares of afforestation over degraded forest lands Ministry of Environment Forests INR 460
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture Drought proofing, risk management, agriculture research Ministry of Agriculture INR 1080
National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change Vulnerability assessment, research and observation, data management Ministry of Science and Technology INR 9.5
Source Ministry of Environment, Forests
Climate Change, GOI
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Contd...

• India announced its National Action Plan on
  Climate Change on June 30, 2008. While launching
  the Plan, former Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan
  Singh had said
• India with its Energy Conservation Act has
  identified nine energy intensive sectors, namely,
  Iron Steel, Cement, Power, Paper and Pulp,
  Chlor-Alkalis, Aluminium, Textiles and Railways.
  Government and Industry are working together to
  work towards raising efficiency levels
  significantly.
• The Government is implementing an Economy Lamp
  Project by making available CFLs to households,
  where penetration is still low, at 30 US cents as
  against the market price of US 2. The price
  differential is sought to be recovered through
  the sale of carbon credits. It is likely to touch
  the 100 million bulbs mark by the end of April.

"Our people have a right to economic and social
development and to discard the ignominy of
widespread poverty. For this we need rapid
economic growth. But I also believe that
ecologically sustainable development need not be
in contradiction to achieving our growth
objectives.
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2015 - Landmark Year for India in Climate Change
Initiatives

• Adoption of the climate change agreement in Paris
  after negotiations.
• Launched International Solar Alliance for mutual
  cooperation among 121 countries.
• India announced its Intended Nationally
  Determined Contributions i.e. reducing its
  emission intensity of its GDP by 33-35 by 2030.
• Target of achieving 40 energy generation from
  renewable energy.
• National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change with
  budgetary provision of INR 350 crore and National
  Clean Energy Fund which is supported by cess on
  coal.

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Climate Change Initiatives By Industry

• Tata group incorporated climate change in the
  Tata Code of Conduct by focusing on low carbon
  footprint, sustainability projects, etc. Tata
  Power has invested INR 240 crore in solar power
  installations while TCS spent INR 35.97 crore in
  incorporating green building concepts.
• Companies like Nestle, Philips, Unilever and
  Infosys have committed to use 100 renewable
  energy for all their operations.
• Yes Bank is the first bank to issue green bonds
  which would be exclusively used to finance
  climate-friendly business initiatives.
• Major Indian auto makers such as Tata Motors,
  Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki have come together to
  invest in and develop components and systems for
  electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Franchise India in collaboration with Singapore
  based investment company, SingEx held a 'Clean
  Green India' conclave to chalk out avenues to
  manage Indian waste.

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Contd...

• Tata group has acquired Welspun India and will be
  working towards enhancing their capacities
  through renewables.
• Over 100 Indian companies including DMRC, ITC
  Limited, Mahindra and Mahindra and Tata Group
  launched a Corporate Vision on Climate Change
  that includes the best sustainable practices at
  the Paris COP 21 Climate Summit.
• Leading Indian companies are focusing on
  implementation of initiatives/operations based on
  renewable energy generation, energy efficiency
  improvements (like waste heat recovery in steel
  plants), resource conservation (water recycling
  and use) and waste minimization.
• Ambuja Cement, Tata Power and Wipro are
  increasingly deploying renewables.
• In 2009, PepsiCo India announced 15 global goals
  and commitments to guide our work to protect the
  Earth's natural resources through innovation and
  more efficient use of land, energy, water and
  packaging in their operations.

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What Can Be Done?

• Climate change provides a safety net for the
  people below the poverty line while ensuring a
  conducive environment
• Holistic plan to target climate change and
  poverty through affirmative action and CSR.
  Corporations can fund green initiatives targeting
  SC/ST communities.
• Focus not only on people below poverty line but
  also on the one who are vulnerable to fall into
  the category.
• Develop solutions to become a low carbon economy
  without undermining rapid development of the
  discriminated sections.
• Create awareness and share information of
  processes and systems that address the problems
  of the local communities.

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Contd...

• Create wealth from waste, replenish water,
  responsible use of natural resources, green
  innovations, etc.
• Promote sustainable agriculture among farmers and
  integrate policies on human health, agriculture
  and environment to ensure they complement each
  other.
• Investments in research for climate friendly
  solutions which will help the industry thereby
  creating jobs for the discriminated sections that
  will help address both poverty and climate change

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The Way Forward

• Ensuring lower per capita emissions in comparison
  with other developed and developing countries.
• Primary focus on adaptation with specific niches
  for mitigation
• Collaborative research in future low-carbon
  technologies
• Facilitating forestry, drought proofing, crop
  improvement, crop insurance etc
• All the policies related to climate change must
  be communicated to the people living below the
  poverty line for them to take advantage
• Climate-informed development needs to be
  complemented with targeted adaptation
  interventions and a more robust safety net system
  for the poor
• Develop models to understand and determine the
  number of people being pushed in poverty due to
  climate change
• Emphasis on continuous technological improvements
  through up gradation of their systems and
  processes, regular monitoring of various
  performance parameters as well as capacity
  building of the local communities

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How Can Corporations Help?

• Incorporate sustainability initiatives within the
  business operations
• Promote low-carbon practices down the supply
  chain
• Direct CSR funds through discriminated sections
  towards green initiatives such as Climate Smart
  Agriculture, Solar powered irrigation projects,
  water conservation etc
• Partner with government for planning and
  implementation of environment-friendly
  initiatives
• Create employment opportunities and provide
  social safety nets for the discriminated sections
  of society
• Develop products and services with social
  benefits involving green technologies
• Conduct research, provide financial support to
  develop green and advanced technologies
• Help India earn more carbon credits

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The Way Forward
Contributors to the PPT
Soumitro Chakraborty CEO, Fiinovation
Rohit Srivastava Graphics Designer, Fiinovation
Rahul Choudhury Dy. Manager, Fiinovation