Panaji: The World Economic Forum on Wednesday (July 19) announced the launch of India’s first zero-emission road freight cluster initiative which will reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The announcement was made during a side event hosted by NITI Ayog at the backdrop of ongoing G20 Energy Transitions Working Group meeting in Panaji.
Jasmeet Khurana, Lead, Moving Emerging Markets, World Economic Forum told PTI in Panaji that Adani Ports and SEZ, Apollo Tyres Ltd, TCI Group (Transport Corporation of India Limited) and UltraTech Cement are the partners that will anchor this cluster development through their own early actions.
He said that the World Economic Forum and partners have committed to deploying 550 electric trucks on the west coast of Gujarat and Maharashtra within the next 18-24 months.
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Mr. Khurana said that this initiative is under the e-FAST centre of NITI Aayog and is supported by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways as the cluster aligns with its ‘Harit Sagar’ Green Port Guidelines. He said that the cluster initiative in an effort to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The press release by World Economic Forum mentions that the timing of the initiative is crucial, especially as road freight demand in India is set to become the second largest in the world in the coming decade.
A transition to zero-emission trucks can lead to 2.8–3.8 gigatons of cumulative carbon dioxide savings through 2050, which is equal to or greater than India’s entire economy-wide annual GHG emissions today. The press release adds,
Supported by India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and under NITI Aayog’s e-FAST India program, Moving India brings together government and the private sector to deploy over 550 zero-emission trucks in select road corridors along the west coast states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
