Latest news with #UNSustainableDevelopmentGoal
Mint
20-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Power minister calls for equitable access to energy resources globally
New Delhi: India has called for equitable access to energy resources globally as countries look for energy security amid geopolitical tensions. Union minister for power Manohar Lal told a Brics energy ministers' meeting in Brazil on Monday that energy security is one of the most pressing challenges and emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation in the southern grouping to ensure economic stability and sustainability. A statement from the ministry on Tuesday said he emphasized the need to promote equitable access to energy resources globally. It comes as countries are also looking at securing lithium and other critical mineral resources across the globe which are key for making modules used in solar power projects. India has also been working on making energy accessible for the least developed countries in Africa through the International Solar Alliance. He reaffirmed India's commitment to building a sustainable and inclusive energy future and appreciated Brazil's leadership under the theme, 'Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.' He emphasized the critical role of energy security, access and affordability in advancing global development goals. During the meeting, the minister said India has become the world's third-largest producer of solar and wind energy, and that it is moving towards achieving its nationally determined contribution (NDC) goals on greenhouse gas emissions. Speaking of developments across the clean energy space, he said that India has achieved a 20% ethanol blending milestone, advancing biofuel adoption and emissions reduction and is investing in smart grids, advanced metering infrastructure, and an expanded transmission network, including the green energy corridor, setting ambitious goals for green hydrogen and nuclear energy, including a 100GW nuclear capacity target by 2047 and launching a domestic carbon credit market. He also emphasized the role of the Global Biofuels Alliance in advancing cooperation in the biofuels sector and underscored India's commitment to energy efficiency through innovative programs such as the Energy Conservation Sustainable Buildings Code, rooftop solar initiatives, and efficient appliance standards. The Global Biofuels Alliance was launched in September 2023 in India during the G20 Summit with India, the US and Brazil as the founders. The alliance currently has 24 countries and 14 international organizations as members. At the same time, Lal underscored the role of fossil fuels in the global energy mix—especially for developing countries—and urged greater cooperation to promote their cleaner and efficient use through technologies such as coal gasification, carbon capture and storage, and green chemical innovations. The Brics energy ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening energy security and advancing UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, focusing on universal electricity access, clean cooking and tackling energy poverty. They emphasized the need for just, inclusive and balanced energy transitions in response to climate change. While acknowledging the continued role of fossil fuels—particularly in developing countries—they stressed the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with SDG 7 and global climate targets guided by technological neutrality and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC). The ministers called for stronger partnerships, supported open, fair, and non-discriminatory international energy markets, and encouraged the use of local currencies in energy trade. They recognized the fundamental role of the Brics Energy Research Cooperation Platform and welcomed the updated Brics Roadmap for Energy Cooperation (2025-2030) as key to deeper collaboration. Affirming each country's right to determine its own energy transition path and pace, the ministers advocated efficient use of all energy sources and called for increased concessional and low-cost financing from developed to developing nations. They highlighted the role of the New Development Bank (NDB) in promoting sustainable energy infrastructure, especially through local currency financing. The ministers advocated adoption of fair, transparent, and consistent guidelines for assessing carbon intensity, energy classification and mutual recognition of taxonomies and certifications. Underscoring energy security as vital for socio-economic development, they highlighted the importance of market stability, resilient infrastructure, diversified energy sources and critical minerals for clean technologies. They reiterated the goal to double energy efficiency by 2030 and emphasized enhanced cooperation and knowledge sharing among Brics nations. They also committed to elevating Brics' global energy role and advancing shared priorities under India's chairmanship in 2026. Brics consists of 10 countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the UAE.
Khaleej Times
07-03-2025
- General
- Khaleej Times
International Women's Day: How women are leading the charge in marine conservation
A sense of purpose is a powerful motivator, particularly when it comes to forging your career path. When you pursue meaningful work, motivated by the desire to make a real difference in the world, the impact is immeasurable. This is particularly true when it comes to a career in the marine conservation space, something I have experienced first-hand as Director of Aquarium at Jumeirah Burj Al Arab and through the establishment of the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Programme (DTRP) in 2004. Back then, there were far fewer women working in the marine conservation field and we still have some way to go to achieve true gender equality. Globally, women make up only 37 per cent of the ocean science workforce and 39 per cent of oceanographic researchers. This year's International Women's Day theme of Accelerate Action is an urgent reminder of the need to address gender disparity across sectors, including sustainability and conservation. For young people, there has never been a better time to build a career in marine conservation, with more opportunities and a greater need than ever for the next generation to drive change. Between 8 and 10 million metric tonnes of plastic ends up in the ocean each year, and plastic waste accounts for about 80 per cent of all marine pollution. Sea surface temperatures are at record highs due to climate change, and ecosystem decline and biodiversity loss are rife, with just five years left to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 14 — the target to 'conserve and sustainably use the oceans'. There is also real hunger among young people for purpose-driven careers, with a recent study reporting that 37 per cent of Gen Zers say that meaningful work is the most important factor when choosing a career, and 26 per cent stating that failing to find a job that excites them is one of their biggest fears. I would encourage all young people, particularly women, to consider a career in marine conservation. Every day brings new challenges but also a renewed sense of satisfaction, purpose and pride in seeing the impact of our work — in my case, when it comes to the rescue and release of rehabilitated sea turtles back into the wild. Since the establishment of the DTRP in 2004, we have found, nursed, and released 2,196 turtles back into the ocean, with 89 monitored by satellite tracking. We also recently rescued a baby loggerhead turtle in Dubai, not previously known to nest in the Gulf, marking a breakthrough for sea turtle conservation. Across Jumeirah's properties, we're now seeing more women blazing a trail and carving out careers that channel a lifelong love of the ocean, driven by the desire to make a positive impact and build a brighter, more sustainable future for all. For example, one of our newest properties, Jumeirah Thanda Island, which is set within a protected marine reserve in Tanzania, has its own on-site marine biologist. Rianne Laan began working for the marine reserve in 2017, providing guidance for the conservation of the reefs surrounding the island. Today, she pours her passion for the ocean into her role, exploring and monitoring the reef and its inhabitants, finding the best snorkel spots and cultivating a coral garden to replenish the marine environment. Rianne also leads the resort's partnership with Sea Sense – a non-governmental organisation dedicated to marine conservation in Tanzania – to protect the Green and Hawksbill turtles. Supported by a network of 60 conservation officers, the programme has made meaningful progress in monitoring and protecting these endangered species, with four Green Turtle nests successfully laid and hatched on the island in 2023 with 105 hatchlings. At the same property, the boathouse manager Captain Maya de Villiers leads marine excursions, using her vast knowledge and love for the ocean to educate guests and raise awareness of marine conservation. Further afield, another trailblazer is Andreia Tami Akaki, the on-site marine biologist and dive instructor at Jumeirah Maldives Olhahali Island. She also takes a hands-on approach to teaching guests about the local ocean ecosystems, from leading coral planting workshops and snorkelling tours to spearheading restoration projects. Each one of these women inspires me with their passion for the ocean and their determination to make a difference. Not only do they work daily to make a real impact in marine conservation and raise awareness of urgent issues; they also represent what is possible for other women who want to pursue rewarding careers in marine conservation. They are no doubt inspiring the next generation to step up, dive in and make waves.
Associated Press
29-01-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
CSRHub Connects to Sustainable Platform
As previously seen on the CSRHub blog. Founded in 2017 and based in Perth, Australia, Sustainable Platform is a SaaS database that provides access to crucial and transparent sustainability & SDG (UN Sustainable Development Goal) performance data for thousands of global companies. We recently brought Sustainable Platform's data on 23,000 entities into CSRHub's big data consensus ESG ratings system. One of Sustainable Platform's foci is providing feedback on company performance relative to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It also offers metrics on social, environmental, and sustainable technology performance. We were particularly interested in an indicator of an entity's greenwashing activity. We have always been concerned that our ratings might be influenced by greenwashing. (Per the UN: 'Greenwashing is a deceptive practice where companies make misleading claims about their environmental impact to gain market share.') Our ratings get input from many stakeholders who could be influenced by a greenwashing company's deceptions. We hoped that having multiple sources with different perspectives would guard us against greenwashing effects. But we had no good way to check. We matched Sustainable Platform's assessment of greenwashing activity to CSRHub's Overall Rating for 17,138 entities. We were pleased to see an indication that greenwashing seems to have very little direct effect on our ratings. Greenwashing May Have Only a Small Effect on CSRHub Scores * Average rating for September 2024. We love to see new ideas—new ways to examine how entities are responding to the demands from their stakeholders for information and better social performance. We will soon release an SDG 'calculator'—a way to estimate what an entity's performance may look like from the perspective of the UN's SDG system. We hope to match this to Sustainable Platform's direct observation of entity SDG performance. We can then both check the quality of our tool and look for places where company reporting to SDGs is not being understood by our ESG ratings community. Statistical Analysis on Greenwashing Impact We checked to see if the half-point difference between high-risk and the other levels was significant. We saw a z-score of -1.6 when we compared the means for the moderate and high scores. This suggests there is about a 95% chance they are different and that the high-score entities do get a small benefit from their greenwashing activity. About CSRHub CSRHub offers the most comprehensive global set of Consensus ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) ratings, information, and tools. CSRHub's business intelligence system measures the ESG business impact that drives corporate and investor sustainability decisions. Founded in 2007, CSRHub covers 57,528 public and private companies, and provides ESG performance scores on over 38,833 companies from 134 industries in 156 countries. Our Big Data platform uses algorithms to aggregate, normalize and weight ESG metrics from 967 sources to produce a strong consensus signal on corporate sustainability performance. Interested in learning more about CSRHub? Click here. Sustainable Platform provides independent sustainability data and metrics on public and private companies to institutional investors and insurance companies globally. Since 2017, SP has offered asset owners and managers—with over $20 trillion under management—up-to-date sustainability data through its proprietary software and analytics. SP's platform delivers unique, scientifically driven ways to measure risks, enhance portfolios, and independently verify if companies and funds align with their policies and mandates.
