June 22, 2025

-

Premium

ROAD TO CLEANER FUELS

IN HIS BOOK, The Third Industrial Revolution, economist Jeremy Rifkin says that every major economic shift is driven by changes in energy use and transportation. The global automotive industry is undergoing such a transformation, from fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives like electric, CNG and biofuel. In India, where the transport sector accounts for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, the government is targeting net-zero emissions by 2070. The world's third-largest auto market is expected to add 10 million vehicles by 2030. Automakers are adopting a multi-powertrain ap- proach--integrating EVs, CNG, hybrids and biofuels-- to meet their sustainability goals. "These are a scalable pathway to reduce the carbon footprint. Their impact is amplified when supported by green manufacturing, sustainable supply chains and end-of-life recycling policies," says Saket Mehra, Partner and Auto & EV Industry Leader at Grant Thornton BharatEVs: CHARGING AHEAD In CY2024, global EV sales surpassed 17 million units, pushing EVs' share in the global car market above 20% for the first time, according to the International Ener-

GREEN GIANTS

IN 2019, Hindalco's Birla Copper plant in Dahej, Gujarat, faced a massive challenge when heavy rainfall caused flooding, disrupting operations. The company carried out an assessment of the plant's vulnerability to extreme weather and identified areas of improvement to protect it from future climate risks. But the impact of the initiative went beyond plant upgrades. It cultivated a forward-thinking mindset across the organisation and embedded climate adaptation and sustainability into its DNAThis was one of the several weather events over the past few years that have stalled factories. The impact, in fact, goes beyond operations. The Reserve Bank of India said in a report in December 2024 that climate risks have started impacting the financial system and pose systemic risks by causing direct damage to assets, leading to loan losses, business disruptions and supply chain issuesRealising that climate events may hit growth plans, India Inc. has started integrating sustainability into strategic planning, investment evaluation, risk management, and supply & demand projections. Take Project Aalingana by Tata Group for becoming net zero by 2045 under which all businesses--from auto to technology--will align operations to achieve the goal. Or Aditya Birla Group's Sustainability 3.0, which involves digital integration of the foundation built in the two earlier versions, aligning it with a four-dimensional approach--sector of operation of the company, geography, value chain and time.