Publications

In the absence of a large momentum for change required to move away from dominant rice-wheat monoculture in the breadbasket of India, management of rice straw inside the field (in-situ) through direct reuse by farmers and management outside the field (ex-situ) are the only practical choices for addressing the burning issue which causes peak pollution across severely polluted cities of the Indo-Gangetic plains. While in September 2020, we produced evidence of the change taking place in the heart of Punjab and Haryana across 102 villages intervened by CII, this report further focuses on ex-situ management solutions. These set of actionable solutions need to be scaled for addressing at least one third of the rice straw or approximately 13 million tonne rice straw across North Western States, while the remaining two third can be managed by farmers in-situ. In this report, these specific ex-situ use cases are analysed which are found to be actionable on ground, environmentally sound and economically viable for all stakeholders. Based on analysis of various delivery models along the supply chain of biomass management ecosystem, key recommendations are being made for scaling these solutions across North Western States

Biodiversity and ecosystem services are critical to businesses, for achieving sustainable development. Businesses are faced with challenges and risks of over-exploitation of natural resources, land-use change, habitat diversion, climate change and pollution which are leading to loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystem services. The IBBI declaration helps organisations to map their business linkages with biodiversity and ecosystem services and to identify the risks and opportunities across their value chain. The effective biennial biodiversity reporting, which includes regular mapping of biodiversity and ecosystem aspects across their businesses adds value in several areas.  This guidance document provides guidance to Indian businesses to develop disclosures on natural capital and enable businesses to effectively communicate about biodiversity and ecosystem services by providing standardised data and showcasing the achieved positive outcomes.

Studies commissioned by the G20 nations, carried out by the International Resource Panel, in 2017, show that there is substantial scope reducing for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through material efficiency strategies. 

Such strategies result in reductions above and beyond those attainable through decarbonization, improved energy efficiency, and so on. Strategies of material efficient design, yield improvements both in manufacturing and recovery; methods to intensify use, extend lifespan, repair,  can be effective in reducing life-cycle GHG emissions.

In India, where growth is occurring rapidly, in all sectors of the economy, such strategies when applied through the product's life cycle, can help meet the NDCs, increase employment, reduce resource consumption, and adverse environmental impacts. 

Before examining/quantifying the potential for application of such strategies in India, a scoping study was carried out to identify sectors of the economy to focus on. This report summarises the results of the scoping study. 

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) conducted a Side Event during the World Circular Economy Forum on 27 October 2020. Insights and information emerging from CII-CESD’s report, A Circular Plastics Economy Strategy for India (https://bit.ly/3meWoc2) were presented. The summary of discussions is presented in this document.