If you got goosebumps seeing the human race end in the movie 2012, you might want to hold on to something before you read this…A UN’s panel of 234 scientists released their 3,949-page report that calls current climate change trends “a code red for humanity”.
Emphasizing on the unprecedented speed of climate change, the report has sounded all alarms, reminding us that if we don’t act RIGHT NOW, it will be nearly impossible for us to keep global temperature from spiraling higher and beyond control.
In case you want more feed for the gooseys, here’s how the Indian Subcontinent will be affected, as per the report:
Surge in extreme rainfall and cyclonic events, leading to floods
Increased frequency of heat extremes and drought events, necessitating climate- proofing of infrastructure
As ice sheets melt faster, 28.6 Million people could be exposed to coastal flooding across six Indian port cities – Chennai, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Surat and Vizag.
I know you’re panicking, and so are we. But the good news is that we may still have one last chance to do things the right way. And if we act immediately, we might as well live long enough to tell stories of our heroic deeds to our grandkids…
Okay, so step 1 – let’s draw inspiration from these Indian Startups who’ve already started to do their bit:
Ola Electric – With the world’s biggest EV manufacturing facility (planned), this 4-year-old Startup is all set to drive the EV wave that the world has been banking on. One might say that EVs don’t really reduce emission of greenhouse gases, as the power generation companies are bound to burn more coal to produce the extra electricity. But what needs to be kept in mind is that use of EVs will bring carbon emission at the end of consumers to zero. Meanwhile, the power generation companies can deploy all the resources at their end to achieve their net zero emission targets. It will also be easier for the Governments to frame and execute their policies when the focus shifts from the consumers to the businesses.
Nexus Power – Nexus power leverages nanotechnology to make biodegradable electric vehicle batteries from crop residue. The company uses unburnt crops - one of the major sources of air pollution (stubble burning) - and then by applying a unique extraction and filtration process, manufacture rechargeable energy storing cells. Multiple such cells go into making the Internet-of-Things (IoT) and AI-based sensor enabled battery pack which is later installed in electric vehicles.
Logic Ladder – This Startup is doing exactly what is required to tackle the problem of carbon emission by businesses – software solution to help enterprises with a data-led approach to going green – making net zero a reality for enterprises.
Carbonlites– Carbon Masters is a carbon management company that helps organizations reduce carbon impact by replacing fossil fuel consumption with innovative, clean energy solutions. Its bio-CNG product, sold to restaurants for commercial cooking displacing LPG, makes cooking 100% carbon neutral.
This article is a part of the August'21 edition of our Startup Newsletter. Here's the complete publication:
