|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Chairman's
Message |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Dear
Friends |
A few days ago, I read
an article titled, "New
Times Atlas displays
effects of climate
change".
The creators of this
atlas were compelled to
make major revisions in
their latest edition
following changes in
global landscapes. For
example, the Lake Chad
in Africa is now 95 per
cent smaller than what
it was in1963; the
forest cover in South
America shrunk by over
37 per cent over the
last decade-and-a-half.
The message: either we
act now or it may be too
late to act at all.
|
|
The root of the problem
|
What
I read further on the
subject disturbed me
more:
|
- Expanding ozone
hole : Since 1985,
the hole in the
ozone layer has
grown larger than
the continent of
Antarctica and there
are predictions of a
second ozone hole
over the Arctic,
exposing millions
to ultraviolet-B
radiation.
- Dwindling forest
reserves: The Food
and Agriculture
Organization (FAO)
of the United
Nations estimates a
loss of 200 million
hectares of forest
cover - more than
the total land area
of Mexico or
Indonesia - over a
15-year period.
- Increasing
desertification:
Nearly a fourth of
the earth's land
area has been
desertified,
amounting to nearly
70 per cent of all
arable land in dry
regions and
equivalent to around
3.6 billion
hectares. Around 900
million people - one
in every six - on
the planet are
affected.
- Declining energy
reserves: Most of
the world's
conventional energy
reserves are
declining and
according to the BP
Statistical Review
of World Energy
2007, world's oil
reserves are
projected to last
another 40.5 years,
accelerating the
extinction of the
petroleum man.
Most of us may well
be knowing all this
and still getting
along with our own
busy lives, hoping
that things will
work out on their
own. But time is
running out and
apocalypse may not
be distant.
|
| What next? |
So
how do we sustain our
growing economies
without making further demands
on the mother Earth? How do we reconcile economic
development with environmental
sustainability? How do
we ensure a cleaner and greener
tomorrow to our
children?
The solution : Turn back
to nature.
Renewable energy, which
is derived out of
renewable and hence practically
inexhaustible sources,
is becoming a powerful
force. A PWC report (The World
in 2050) estimates that
the non-fossil fuel share of
the aggregate primary
energy basket will be a high
30 per cent by 2030 from low single digits today.
Renewable energy is less carbon intensive and the
carbon dioxide emission
from these sources is
easily consumed by the
ecology, creating a
virtuous and
self-sustaining green
energy cycle.
|
| Sowing the seed for a greener tomorrow |
At
Shriram EPC, we believe
that the only way to
save our planet is
through integrating
economic progress with
environmental
sustainability. This
proposition holds
attractive potential
through the Kyoto
Protocol, which mandates
a compulsory worldwide
reduction in the global
emission of greenhouse
gases by 5.3 per cent by
2008-12, compared with
their actual levels in
1990. Carbon credits are
also emerging as
attractive incentives
for reducing pollution
levels and encouraging
investments in
environment assets for
achieving a high-level
of environmental
compliance.
In view of this reality,
we have charted out a
unique positioning and
embarked on the creation
of green infrastructure
- assets that are
economically beneficial,
environmentally
supportive and
ecologically
sustainable. Besides,
the Company’s core
process, metallurgy and
municipal services
business is also
expected to witness
strong growth in line
with
the growth in the Indian
economy.
I am optimistic that
this prudent positioning
between our core and
green businesses will
provide our Company with
a critical mass in
top line and profits that
will make our growth
sustainable in an
attractive way over the
coming years. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
