Carbon disclosure project India report

This report presents the results of the first-ever voluntary disclosure of the carbon emissions of Indian companies. It is based on the submissions of 39 Indian corporations in response to the first information request sent by the Carbon Disclosure Project.

Undertaken on behalf of 315 institutional investors, representing over US dollar 41 trillion of assets under management, the report provides global investors with an analysis of how India’s largest companies are responding to climate change.

Key findings include:

• 79 per cent of the companies perceive commercial risks arising from climate change
• 85 per cent of the companies perceive commercial opportunities around climate change
• 74 per cent of the companies claim to have devised strategies to manage the emerging opportunities and risks
• emission trading opportunities are considered by 46 per cent of the responding companies

The report reflects the variable understanding of the need for carbon disclosure within Indian industry. The fact that 65 per cent of the 110 companies selected for the survey did not respond to the questionnaire shows, the report notes, an enormous amount of work still need to be done by Indian companies and investors to catch up with their global peers.

The report emphasises the need for working closely with business and industry, and the financial sector to increase the aggregated involvement and to improve the base for affirmative action and self regulation.