As the world increasingly focuses on sustainability and green businesses, it is crucial to recognise the indispensable role that women play in addressing climate change. While climate change affects everyone, it affects different groups of people disproportionately.

According to Kalpana Jain, a Partner at Deloitte India, it is evident that women need to have a more prominent involvement in sustainability efforts. Jain believes that sustainability and inclusion go hand in hand.

Madhulika Sharma, Chief Sustainability Officer at ITC, highlights that climate change's effects will be felt most significantly by the vulnerable, and unfortunately, women will bear a disproportionate burden. Sharma added that sustainability should be at the core of any corporate strategy.

"Climate change impact is going to be felt most by the vulnerable and weaker section of the society. Whether it is temperature rise, access to water, health and safety or even food security, and women being a marginalised section is going to be impacted more. So in corporate India, sustainability is now at the core of any strategy that is being developed by the corporates. So there is a lot which is being done by corporate India but he question could be whether it is enough or not," Sharma said.

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According to Jain, climate project financing should be treated like startup financing. Startups are often supported through grants, investments, and funding to foster innovation and growth. Similarly, climate projects require substantial financing to scale up and bring about significant change. By adopting a start-up approach to climate financing, we can encourage entrepreneurial solutions and attract more resources to combat climate change effectively.

Aparna Khandelwal, Senior Advisor at India Climate Collaborative (ICC), believes that India has taken a leadership position in addressing climate change. Khandelwal said in addition to mitigation efforts, adaptation is crucial to help communities cope with the adverse effects of climate change.

She added that philanthropists play a vital role in ensuring sufficient climate financing, while grants offer an effective means to finance climate projects. Khandelwal also emphasised the need to focus on climate communication for raising awareness, inspire action, and drive positive change.

Watch video for entire discussion.