Not just politicians and activists, real climate action will come from entrepreneurs

Going by the last 27 COPs, climate policies, pacts and protests aren't enough. Climate entrepreneurs, too, are an important segment to meet the world's environmental goals. (Representational image)

As heads of state and delegates from various countries met their counterparts in the beach town of Sharm El-Sheikh for COP27 earlier this month, those closely following the climate summit were less than pleased. Scheduled to end on November 18, the conference had to be extended to reach some kind of consensus on climate finance.

Even so, the gains were well short of what had been expected.

As per United Nations report, the 193 countries that pledged to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius (2015 Paris Agreement) at the COP21, have fallen short of their target - in fact, the world is now on track for 2.5 degree Celsius of warming towards the end of the century.

To be sure, COP agreements are just one cog in the large wheel to reign in climate changes. As nations rush to meet net-zero emission targets by 2050, many startups are using technology to fight climate change and helping people neutralize their carbon footprint by minimizing emissions.

Here are some startups across India that are bringing positive climate action.

How to use your skills for climate action

All of us want to stop climate change - but let’s face it - given our hectic work schedules and stressful lives, it becomes difficult to keep track of our carbon footprint. Some of us want to use our skills to fight climate change but don’t know how to do it. For instance, if a software engineer wishes to use their coding skills to stop climate change, where should they start? That is where Terra.do comes in.

It is like LinkedIn but for those who wish to work as climate professionals. It helps professionals look for climate jobs and for climate recruiters to post openings. What’s more? It also provides courses on climate education - starting with a 12 week deep-dive which helps learners understand the complexities of climate justice, economics and policy and use their skills to fight climate change.

That’s not all. Imagine each time you took a bus to work or ordered groceries online, you got a chance to neutralize your carbon footprint by paying a little extra to the climate solution of your choice. The alumnus from Terra.do have developed a climate tech app called Climes which does exactly that. It allows users to donate capital to climate solutions of their choice in India - UN, Verra, Gold Standard - most of which are independently certified.

So while one cannot avoid taking the bus to work, one can still neutralize their carbon footprint from each bus ride by helping funds reach the organisations in need. In fact, bus-booking company Zingbus recently partnered with Climes and now offers zero-emission rides to their users.

EV as a service

Electric vehicles or EVs have emerged as an alternative to fight climate change as they emit fewer greenhouse gases and toxic air pollutants. However, for online delivery platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, Flipkart, et al - urging riders to switch to EVs comes with many logistical challenges related to tracking and maintenance. Moreover, the recent news of electric vehicles catching fire across the country has also made many online platforms reevaluate their decision to opt for EVs, keeping in mind the rider safety. Solving this problem is Fyn Mobility (previously Pi Beam Electric) which provides EV fleets for last-mile connectivity. The EVs can be tracked by a tech dashboard which provides real-time updates on the deployment process. Fyn Mobility also has an internal R&D team that helps in intensive testing of the EV fleets before they hit the streets. Founded by Visakh Sasikumar at IIT Madras in 2017, the EV-as-a-Service startup has Flipkart, Zepto, Delhivery as some of its clients.

Citywide Air Purifiers

As North India continues to breathe toxic air, many households, particularly those in Delhi, are buying air purifiers for their homes. But what if there existed a purifier that could clean the air in the entire city? A Bengaluru-based green tech company is using pulsated radio waves technology to purify air. Called Devic Earth, the startup manufactures Pure Skies - an air purifier which sends out 2.4 GHz pulsed radio waves to purify air across the city. These waves speed up the process of dry deposition of PM 2.5 and PM 10 pollutants by 6-7 times. Devic Earth claims that this helps reduce air pollution by "33-90%". The pulsated radio waves technology is patented by the company and some of their clients include TATA Steel, JCB and Airtel. The purifier is a result of 14 years of R&D and reportedly covers 20 million square feet of area across 25+ industries.

Best out of waste, literally

While citywide air purifiers can help bring down pollution levels significantly, the root cause of pollution in North India - stubble burning, can also be nipped in the bud. In the past, many have suggested farmers sell the stubble and crop waste instead of burning it. This stubble is then used to generate biomass which is supplied to various industries for use. However, the entire process is not only time-consuming but also very expensive for farmers. BiofuelCircle aims to help farmers sell the crop waste and stubble online. An online marketplace for farmers, BiofuelCircle aids the transportation of crop residue to biomass banks, thereby helping farmers dispose of their stubble and also curb air pollution.

Another startup - Craste - helps farmers sell their crop residue but also uses its technology to convert the residue into sustainable materials. These materials are then used to manufacture packaging solutions which are used as an alternative to plastic carry bags. The process of synthesizing the material has zero waste discharge and low carbon footprint.

Solution to landfill pollution

Landfill sites which are used as a dump for dry and wet waste lead to environmental pollution, especially when the garbage catches fire. Ekobarn, an environmental waste management company, is solving this problem by helping urban households manage their dry waste better. Ekobarn’s smell-free composting solutions which can turn the dry waste in your kitchen into nutrient-rich compost which can be used as a plant fertilizer and improve soil health. Ekobarn also helps make vermicompost Ganpati for Ganesh Chaturthi thereby helping reduce the environmental pollution caused by Ganesh Visarjan.

To be sure, these aren't the only startups responding to climate challenged in India. But they are a sign that entrepreneurial verve can help to drive climate action and involve commoners in climate solutions.